Page:The Library, volume 5, series 3.djvu/440

426 THE NEEDS OF Dunfermline, Perth, St. Andrews, and Glasgow, and now we are meeting in Montrose, and have invitations from Dundee and. Aberdeen. It is reasonable, therefore, to conclude that the Scottish Library Association is a recognized authority in library matters. It falls to us now to consider how that position may be utilized to promote the progress of library affairs in Scotland. And this involves a statement of the present condition of library work in this country. During the first twenty years after the Library Aft of 1850 comparatively few of the English Burghs adopted the A6t ; indeed, the library movement did not attain much force in England until about 1887. In Scotland, on the other hand, Airdrie adopted the A61 in 1853, Dundee in 1866, Paisley in 1867, other burghs following rapidly during the succeeding decade. An era in the history of the Scottish libraries was introduced in 1880, when Dunfermline adopted the A6ls, and, under the influence of Mr. Carnegie, the library movement spread throughout the land. In their enthusiasm some of the smaller Scottish Burghs applied for gifts of library buildings when they had not the means to maintain them adequately. Thus we find buildings admirably adapted in every way for the purpose in view, and sufficient to supply the wants of coming generations, deprived of all chance of success because the penny-rate limit imposed by the A6ts is quite inadequate to support the libraries in certain districts. Take as an extreme instance the case of Thurso. The library there was opened so far back as 1835, and