THE DEARNESS OF GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—As a teacher of adult students, especially in economic and historical subjects, I have a desire, which seems to me natural and sensible, to refer my students whenever I can to the original documents in which the data of their subjects are to be found. Constantly I desire to refer them to Govern- ment Reports of Departments and Committees, Statistical Returns, and other publications of the Stationery Office.
But how am I to do this when the prices of Government publications have increased beyond the means, not only of my students and of myself, but of the public libraries to which I should naturally send them for reference ? The annual subscription for Parliamentary and Command Papers has risen from £20 to £36 ; and this is only a small part of the real increase, for the practice has grown up of excluding many of the most important documents from the list covered by the subscription. It costs one small research office which I know at least £100 a year to obtain even the minimum supply of Government publications necessary for its work in a comparatively restricted range of subjects.
I know that public libraries are allowed to buy at half price from the Stationery Office, and that the Government, in answer to a question in the House of Commons, has recently expressed the view that this concession is adequate. But how many public libraries, outside the largest centres, can afford even £50 a year for this purpose ? And, in any case, this limited concession does nothing to meet the needs of poor students and at least relatively poor teachers.
I submit, Sir, that the fu lest possible publicity of facts relating to matters of administration, trade and industry, finance, local government, and other public questions is an essential part of the machinery of democracy, and that one way of securing this is to make all Government publications widely and cheaply available, both for students and members of public bodies, and for the general public.
I therefore suggest (1) That all large public libraries should be placed on the Stationery Office free list, and supplied with an adequate quantity of Government publications to enable them to lend out supplies both to individual borrowers and groups of students and to the smaller public libraries. (2) That the prices of all important Government publications should be drastically reduced, in order to ensure a wide circulation. The loss, of course, would not be proportionate to the reduction ; for many, lfice myself, would buy far more Blue Books and White Papers if they were issued at a reason- able price. (3) That the inclusive subscription rate should be resumed, and made to cover Statutory Rules and Orders and other Stationery Office publications as well as Command and Parliamentary Papers.
It is sheer obscurantism to run the Stationery Office as if it were a commercial concern, preferring high prices and limited circulation to wide circulation at a low price. The public has a right to know the facts without being over- charged, for its inquisitiveness. I trust the Spectator will use its influence to bring those who are responsible to a more reasonable frame of mind, and especially that it will support the Library Association in the campaign which it is now conducting on the first of the points outlined above.
Staff Tutor for Tutorial Classes in the University of London. 18 Thurlozv Road, Hampstead, N.W. 3.
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