Misguided Economy
It is reported that a city in the North of England pro- poses to restrict the supply of books to the public libraries as a measure of economy. It is to be hoped that it will refrain from setting so lamentable an example. Under war conditions the amenities of life are restricted on all sides; not excluding those provided by municipalities. The Universities and the elementary and secondary schools have all suffered from the necessities of war. Public entertain- ment has been curtailed. A black-out has been imposed. Reading is one of the few activities which the public can indulge in as freely as in peace-time, and the need of it is greater. Surely this is the occasion where the services of the public libraries should be extended rather than restricted. Small economies on the purchase of new books could not have any considerable effect on municipal budgets, but if they were generally adopted by local authorities would do a great deal of harm to the reading public and to all who are engaged in the writing and production of literature. This at least is one kind of sacrifice for which there is no justification in war-time.
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