The Science Library, South Kensington

Abstract

IN this War, Mr. Roosevelt has said, books are weapons, and perhaps it has needed an emergency like the present to prove the value of scientific and technical libraries to many who have not hitherto given them much thought, or seen the necessity for their active development and encouragement, if a country is to play a worthy part in the world's activities. Certain it is that to-day Government Departments in Great Britain directly concerned with the war effort—especially new offices without established information centres of their own—are increasingly relying on them for much information needed for the successful prosecution of their work. The Science Library at South Kensington, as one of the largest of these libraries, with its wealth of periodical literature and its well-known bibliographical service, is one of those most able to assist the State and firms working for the Government. Its loan department, which deals with many thousands of volumes a year, is a great asset to Great Britain at any time but never more so than at present, and its possession of much scientific literature from the smaller countries of Europe must be a source of the greatest value to the Allied Governments in London, cut off, for the moment, from their own resources. It cannot be divulged what particular services libraries like the Science Library have rendered to Great Britain and its Allies during the War, but these may well be found to be not unworthy of a chapter in the final history. They will show the need for a better understanding of their potentialities, not only in war-time but also in peace, and for a greater consideration for their permanent upkeep at real efficiency level. For the present, it may be stated that in official circles the services of the Science Library are much appreciated, and they are regarded as indispensable for the conduct of the War.