of the field of legislation and
consequently of the stock of the Library. Today the Library is strong
in official publications, in economics, politics, administration, law,
and statistics; there are good collections in history, biography, and
travel, and also an excellent reference collection.

The staff have always given members of Parliament every possible
service, but the scope has tended to grow. Last century members tended
to do more of their own research, and relied on the staff to locate
books rather than individual items of information. The desire for this
last service grew and attempts were made to provide it.

To do so, however, required considerable advances in staff and
technique. It involved the indexing of periodicals, often attempted by
the staff which was rarely in a position to do it well and to continue
it. Today much of this work is done either commercially or
cooperatively and, although the results are not available quickly, the
staff is freed for other work.

Today the Library is working towards the time when it can give a
reference and research service similar to that of the House of Commons
Library, or to imitate in a smaller way that of the Library of Congress
in Washington. Such a service requires intelligent, well trained staff
who are capable of locating and organising information into a form
where it can be readily understood and used.

The Library is doing an increasing amount of such work, but it has not
the staff to do all that is required of it. I am sure, however, that
before the story of the Library is much longer, it will be giving a
fuller service.

In this connection there is one aspect of the work that should not be
passed over--the indexing of newspapers. Newspapers have always been
important to the Library, giving as they do so much current history and
opinion. Only in recent years has it been possible to index certain
papers fully, and so provide quickly necessary references.

BOOKS AND MEN

Books are of little value without men to care for them and men to use
them, so that to be successful a library needs good books and good men.
The General Assembly Library has been fortunate in the men who have
controlled it and the men who have used it.

No librarian can ask for more than the support and interest of those
who control the library, or that the material and information he
provides is being put to good use. No user of a library can ask for