Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/160

148 The Library. many fine specimens of fifteenth century printing 1 show ; to say nothing of still earlier books in manuscript. Nowadays, however, paper is made of all sorts of material of a more or less perishable character. In parti- cular, as M. Delisle points out, books printed on paper made from wood pulp soon begin to rot away. At first the pages are covered by yellow spots, and these are replaced in course of time by holes. Even so-called hand-made papers are often no more durable, being treated with chemicals that slowly destroy them." M. Delisle has omitted to mention among the destroying causes of modern books, and indeed of all books possessing a vestige of popularity, tlie present-day public library with its thousands of readers and immense turn over of literature. The average life of a popular book is from four to five years, so that, as libraries and readers multiply, the destruction will increase to an enormous extent. Even books on stout paper made from linen are perishing under the combined influences of dirt and thumbing. Henry Mackenzie in his "Man of Feeling" confesses to having used "an edition of one of the German Illustrissimi " for gun wads, and the late R. P. Gillies relates some queer stories of the tieatment meted out to whole libraries by ignorant owners. If such was the case in the early part of the present century, how much more must the destruction be now when book-plates, title-pages, printer's marks, imitation leathers, paper- pulp articles and sausage wrappings are so much in demand ? The remedies are the constant multiplication of editions by publishers and the conservation of books by libraries which perform the preserving functions of museums. OLfbrarg IKlotes ant> 1Rews, The Editor earnestly requests that librarians and others will send to htm early and accurate information as to all local Library doings. The briefest record of facts and dates is all that is required. In cottrse of time " Library Notes and News " will become of the utmost value to the historian of the Public Library movement, and it is therefore of the highest importance that every paragraph should be vouched for by local knowledge. Brief written paragraphs are better than newspaper cuttings. ABERDEEN. Dr. Danson chose as his subject "The Citizen in Search of Culture : Free Libraries, Picture Galleries and Museums, and the Education they bring," to conclude his series of lectures on " The Life and Duties of a Citizen." At the meeting in April of the Library Committee, it was remitted to Messrs. A. Walker and G. Walker and the Librarian to prepare a suitable minute regarding the late Mr. William Alexander. The terms of the minute are as follows : " The Aberdeen Public Library Committee, being deeply moved by the sudden death of William Alexander, LL.D., of the Free Press and Evening Gazette, Aberdeen, and a member of the Public Library Committee, records with sincere regret its sense of the great loss thereby inflicted upon the community generally, and upon the Public Library in particular. A member of the committee for upwards of six years, Dr. Alexander was thoroughout conspicuous by the regularity and