LIBRARIES FOR THE DOMINIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 61, 14 March 1927, Page 16

LIBRARIES FOR THE DOMINIONS

The 15th annual dinner of the International Association of Antiquarian Booksellers was held at the Restaurant Frascati, Oxford street, recently, states "The Times." Sir Leicester Hiirmsworth, proposing the toast of "The Association," commended to tho members of the association tho Handlist' compiled by tho Bibliographical Society, which showed in what respect tho great national book collections of this country were lacking. He suggested that before giving foreigners and Americans the opportunity of acquiring any of our rare books, they should afford ono or other of our great national collections an opportunity of acquiring them. They heard a great deal about the deplorable transference of books from this country to America. He did not share that feeling. It was a good thing they were finding their way to America —subject to a qualification. It was far better that America should derive her inspiration from English books than from foreign books. There was a qualification. It was a matter of great regret that while America was forming great libraries there were apparently no great libraries being formed in the other English-speaking countries. There were one or two great libraries in Australia, but there was no great library in Africa, and no great library in Canada. The opportunity of getting great libraries was passing away, and unless those Dominions or some patriotic individuals took up the question they would be left in the futuro without those libraries.