PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND NOVELS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—D is disconcerting to find The Spectator supporting, even though only half-heartedly, the demand of the Libraries Committee of Westminster for a Novel Censor. But your issue of October 19th was already printed before Sir Charles Grant Robertson's decisive and, indeed, derisive letter appeared in The Times.
What on earth. Sir, are Public Librarians for but to purchase on behalf of their Library Committees such books as they deem to be necessary and suitable for those who use these institutions? if they like to go further than this, and to arrange their purchases in categories labelled " A " and " U," or in any other way they fancy, more power to their elbows. But why should they be considered so incapable as to require some semi-official body to do their work for them, and to decide which books they may, or may not, buy ?
Some very cogent arguments can be advanced against the purchase by public free libraries of any Fiction of whatsoever kind—but that is another story.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, G. WREN HOWARD.
Jonathan Cape Lid., 30 Bedford Square, W. 1.
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