rs where the members may meet at all
times, whether to discuss matters of common business interest, to
exchange their latest jokes, or to generally discuss book-lore and
other congenial topics. The social features of some of the book clubs
are, however, reduced to the occasions of the annual meetings and
dinners. The "Club-Room Question," in one of these organizations
having a membership of five hundred, distributed in one hundred and
sixty-seven cities and towns in this country and abroad, was recently
reported upon by the Council as follows:--

The question of providing and maintaining club rooms and
establishing a suitable library for the Society has been more
or less discussed since its incorporation. The Council has not
found that spacious and luxuriously furnished rooms are an
important requisite in accomplishing the expressed purpose and
limitations of the Society. These, according to Article I. of
the Constitution and By-laws, are to be "the study and
promotion of the arts pertaining to fine bookmaking and
illustrating, and the occasional publication of specially
designed and illustrated books, for distribution among its
members at a minimum cost of production."

Then, too, while our membership is entirely homogeneous in
bibliomaniacal spirit, it is so scattered over such a vast
expanse of territory that only a small percentage of the
members would be able to enjoy club-room privileges; even
those within easy reach of such rooms would probably not
frequent them enough to justify any considerable expense in
maintenance. It would be necessary, also, to change the
present constitution (and to assess the members for annual
dues in order to meet current expenses), should the club-room
idea be carried out. This would be objectionable on various
grounds, and amongst these, because a non-resident member
might thus be paying an annual fee without receiving any
corresponding benefit in return; a condition in such case
which would be tantamount to his meeting an increased charge
each year for the privilege of subscribing and paying for the
Society's publications. Hence, the Council do not see their
way to entertaining or recommending the club-room feature. But
it is not supposed that the spirit of fellowship among our
bibliophiles--naturally related as they are by a kindred
interest--will in any d