go The Library. LONDON : LAMBETH. On Saturday, Dec. 2nd, 1893, the North Lambeth Library, Lower Marsh, was opened by H.R.H. the Princess Christian. The Rector of Lambeth was in the chair, and the Ven. Archdeacon F. W. Farrar and Mr. Edwin Lawrence took part in the proceedings. The building is close to the coster-haunted New Cut, and is specially remarkable for a large, lofty and well lighted reading room. This practically completes the Lambeth system of libraries, towards which at least ,40,000 have been contributed by various generous donors. We heartily congratulate Mr. Burgoyne on the success of his work since he was appointed about seven years ago. LONDON: MILE END. On Jan. 24th, by a majority of 25 to n, the Vestry of Mile End resolved not to consider the question of taking over the Library of the People's Palace, as part of a proposal involving the adoption of the Public Libraries Act, 1892. The use of the Library building and its contents had been offered to the parishioners conditional upon their undertaking to maintain it under the provisions of the Act. Much hostile criticism of the proposal was expressed, chiefly on the ground that the public would not have absolute control of the building, and that the rates of the parish were already more than sufficiently high. It appears to us from the discussion reported in the East London Observer of January 27th, and elsewhere, that there are considerable difficulties surrounding the question of a joint management of any public institution by which one party supplies a building and contents, while another has to meet the working expenses. The spirit which has hitherto animated the powers that be in reference to the adminstration of the People's Palace Library is not such as to raise very sanguine hopes for the future conduct of affairs, and it would probably be more graceful and better policy in every respect, if the governors would hand over the Library to the parish unconditionally, when the act was adopted. The library side of the People's Palace scheme has been so starved from the first, and the whole concern has been such a lamentable failure in spite of the best efforts of a competent officer, that it seems rather preposterous to burden the Mile End parishioners with such an acquisition unless quite unfettered with conditions. The People's Palace authorities having proved their incapacity to direct the affairs of a library on liberal modern lines, should hasten to divest themselves of further trouble by giving the books to the people of Mile End, and turning the reading room into a circus : enter- tainments of this sort being considered best for the East London popula- tion by the Palace managers. LONDON : PADDINGTON. Presiding at the Paddington Vestry Hall, on February 24th, over the sixth annual meeting and conversazione of the Paddington Free Public Library, Mr. J. R. Diggle (Chairman of the London School Board), in moving the adoption of the report, said that over thirty parishes in London had now adopted the Public Libraries Act, and he hoped that Marylebone and Paddington would soon add their names to the roll. Within certain limits he had sympathy with those who did not desire to augment public burdens, but everything depended upon what they spent the money for. Referring to the class of books usually borrowed from libraries, he observed that fiction always stood out prominent. A great deal of history might as well be called fiction, and there was sometimes more real history in books of fiction than in those that went under the name of historical books. Those who would in the future write the history of our own time would obtain a more vivid idea of their subject from contemporary fiction than from any other source. When
