This chapter discusses the history and importance of library and record offices in Great Britain. Modern public libraries were established with the passing of the first Public Libraries Act in 1850. They are, therefore, one of the oldest of the branches of local government directly serving individual members of the public. In Great Britain, there has been a long tradition of local history collections that have materials on local government. Sometimes, the library also houses the local record office, for example, in Liverpool or in the Guildhall Library of the City of London, both of which also have outstanding collections of prints of local views and buildings. Many university and technical college libraries provide information, books, periodicals, etc., on local government for students, research workers, and academic staff who are interested in the subject from an academic or vocational point of view. The library of the Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA), London, has a good collection of materials on local government and allied subjects. It issues a very useful list of additions at regular intervals which includes periodical articles.

The literature on local government in Scotland is lesser as compared to England and Wales. There are two special yearbooks for Scotland, namely, County and Municipal Yearbook for Scotland, 1968 and the Scottish Municipal Annual, 1967-8, which is issued under the patronage of the Convention of Royal Burghs, the Association of County Councils in Scotland, and Scottish Counties of Cities Corporation. Furthermore, there are several books of interest for historical study such as General Report and Local Reports of the Commissioners Appointed to Enquire into the State of Municipal Corporations in Scotland (1835), the Scottish Burghs, and the Convention of Royal Burghs of Scotland, Royal Commission on Local Government (1923-30), Memorandum of Evidence by the Scottish Office, Public Administration in the Highlands and the Islands of Scotland (ULP, 1918), Glasgow Herald Municipal Centenary Number, 1835-1935: a century of municipal progress, Glasgow Herald, 1935, NALGO, Edinburgh Branch.

This chapter discusses the need for more research and postgraduate work in the field of public administration. The field of public administration is marred by three major obstacles to expansion of research, namely, the attitude of mind, difficulties inherent in the subject matter such as the need for secrecy on political and administrative processes, and the inadequacy of available resources. The Joint University Council for Social and Public Administration is very conscious of the need for research and sponsored a Local Government Research Conference in 1963 and published a report of the proceedings. The research activities of the Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA) stretch back to the 1930's when grants from the Spellman Fund (USA financed limited projects. The RIPA prepares annually for private circulation a Register of Research into Political Science. This is sponsored jointly by the Public Administration Committee of the Joint University Council for Social and Public Administration and the Political Studies Association. The Local Government Educational Trust, which was set up in February 1966, is intended to carry out comprehensive and continuous studies into local government in Britain, Europe, and the Commonwealth.

This chapter presents the concept of public relations and information bureaux in Great Britain. The concept of public relations implies at least a two-way relationship between the government and the community or the citizens. This relationship is inherent in the very essence of local self-government. Since 1931, local authorities in Britain have been able to promote publicity for their towns throughout the country, and indeed the world, under the terms of the Local Authorities (Publicity) Act, 1931. However, in 1948, they were given statutory powers to set up information or public relations services. The public and local government explores all aspects of public relations from the local authority point of view. One of the bodies that have sought to actively promote this understanding is the Local Government Group of the Institute of Public Relations. Many local authorities have also set up information bureau, offices, departments, or sections, some under the direction of a public relations or information officer, where such an officer has been appointed. The City of Birmingham Information Department, one of the first information bureaux in the Great Britain, is established to provide an information service for the benefit of all citizens and visitors and to develop and publicize the City's civic, industrial, cultural, and tourist interests and to encourage the development of a civic consciousness in the minds of the inhabitants.

This chapter focuses on the importance of periodicals as sources of information. Periodicals provide a lively and informed interest in local government. Certain bibliographical tools are available to enable the inquirer to meet his requirements. British Union Catalogue of Periodicals is a record of the periodicals of the world from the seventeenth century to the present day (in whatever language and on whatever subject), represented permanently in British Libraries. Its main purpose is to provide information concerning availability for consultation of any particular periodical. Political science and public administration periodicals contain articles on local government. They normally carry signed articles and reviews with limited sections giving news and notes on new projects and developments. Other periodicals regularly containing local government items deal with the technical and social services for which local authorities are responsible and others of more general interest.

This chapter discusses on the role of books and documents as the most prolific sources of written information on the local government in the Great Britain. Bibliographies help in finding out what has been written on local government. Bibliographies can be divided into three groups, namely, Bibliographies of Bibliography; National and Trade Bibliographies; and Subject Bibliographies. British Book News, published monthly by the British Council, also contains annotations of recommended books on all subjects arranged systematically by the Dewey decimal classification scheme. It seldom misses items of importance on British Local Government. Many library suppliers also provide an information service on cards to institutions and individuals wishing to be kept au fait with new books and periodicals published within specific fields of interest. Dictionary of Local Government in England and Wales is probably of greatest use to councilors and candidates as a quick guide to local government law and practice and a convenient vade mecum for those with a general interest in local government.

This chapter discusses the importance of the establishment of education and training facilities for local government in the Great Britain. The development of education and training facilities can be traced almost entirely to the efforts of one body, the National and Local Government Officers' Association. Since World War II, the Local Government Examinations Board (LGEB), established in 1946, has been responsible for generating education and training within the local government service. Its functions have now been assumed by the Local Government Training Board (LGTB), set up in September 1967. LGTB has two fundamental aims; first, to increase the efficiency of local government by ensuring that sufficient training of the right quality is given to the staff and employees of local authorities at all levels and second, to ensure that the cost of training is evenly and fairly spread among all the local authorities so that all contribute, on a fair and intelligible basis, to an activity from which all benefit. Moreover, the importance of training was visibly recognized by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Committee on Staffing in Local Government in their report. The report recommends and stresses on the importance of induction training; professional training; continued general education up to and including university level; technician training; training of clerical staff; management training; high level courses to keep serving staff abreast of developments in their specialisms; retraining for staff displaced by technological change and for married women returning to professional or clerical employment; the post of training officer should be of senior status; and the establishment of the LGTB.

This chapter focuses on the importance of audio-visual sources of information in the local government. The most comprehensive current guide on all aspects of audio-visual aids is the periodical Visual Education, which is the official monthly magazine of the National Committee for Audio-visual Aids in Education. Additions to the library of the Educational Foundation for Visual Aids and a Visual educational national information service for schools are regular features of the journal. Most general educational periodicals have regular features on audio-visual aids. Current information about filmstrips and filmloops is given monthly in Visual Education in the reviews section and the film user in the Register of releases. Each filmstrip is accompanied by descriptive or teachers' notes so that a commentary can be given. With the aid of modern tape recorders, it is a growing practice to record the commentary and use this when showing film strips. Pictorial panels, wall charts, and posters also appear regularly in the reviews section of Visual Education.

This chapter discusses several societies and institutions in the Great Britain and their importance. The Royal Institute of Public Administration is a non-profit organization that aims to promote the study of public administration and to encourage the exchange of information on all aspects of the subject. Its membership is open both to individuals and corporate bodies. The Joint University Council for Social and Public Administration was established in 1918, with an aim to co-ordinate and develop the work of the universities and university colleges in the study of social and public administration. It has an executive council and two main committees, one for public administration and the other for social administration. The National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Administrative, Professional, Technical, and Clerical Services was formed in 1943 to secure the largest possible measure of joint action for the consideration of salaries, wages, and conditions of service for local government officers. The major international association is the International Union of Local Authorities, which was founded in 1913. It is dedicated to the promotion of cooperation and consultation among local authorities throughout the world. Other international associations are the International Federation for Housing and Town Planning, the Commonwealth Association of Town Clerks, and the Council of European Municipalities, British Section.

This chapter focuses on the role of manuscripts and records in the local government. The two main sources of local government documents are the Public Record Office and the Local Record Office, usually a separate County Record Office in counties but often a part of the Local History Library in municipalities. The local university can also have sizeable collections. Having ascertained what record repositories there are, guides to the material available in them should be consulted. The Historical Manuscripts Commission and the National Register of Archives also issue an annual List of Accessions to Repositories. The National Register of Archives, Quality House, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, WC 2, is usually willing to give what help it can to locate material. The local record society is usually willing to help and many of them have an active publishing program. Furthermore, How to read Local Archives, 1550-1700 (the Historical Association, 1968), is a typical example of the kind of pamphlet material published by the Historical Association and the British Records Association. This one is written to encourage those interested in English history.