LIBRARY CHRONICLE, association TRecorfc* LIBRARY OF THE ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE. BY the kind invitation of the Council of the Royal Colonial Institute a SPECIAL MEETING of the Library Association was held in the library of the Institute, Northumberland Avenue, on Tuesday, May 29th, at 8 p.m. The chair was taken by Sir Frederick Young, K.C.M.G., a Vice- President of the Institute. The following letter had been received by Mr. Boos from the Rt. Hon. Sir George Grey : 7, Park Place, St. James's, S.W., 1 9th May, 1894. My Dear Sir, It is with sincere regret that I write to say there is no hope of my being able to attend the meeting of the Library Association of the United Kingdom on the evening of the 29th, when you are to read a paper on " The Library of the Royal Colonial Institute." I take a deep interest in the formation of libraries, and should, I am sure, have benefited very much by hearing your paper on the occasion alluded to ; but I hope your paper will be published and that my loss may then be repaired for it is essential to those engaged in the formation of Public Libraries that all information collected by those employed in this duty should be widely promulgated. Faithfully yours, G. GREY. J. R. Boose*, Esq. SIR FREDERICK, in welcoming the Association on behalf of his Council, said : It is with peculiar pleasure that I take the chair at this meeting. As one of its Vice-Presidents I wish on behalf of the Royal Colonial Institute, to give a very hearty welcome to the gentlemen of the Library Association of the United Kingdom who have honoured us with their presence this evening. We are very happy to see within the walls of the library of our institution representatives of this very distinguished society. Gentlemen, you belong to a most honourable calling. You are the guardians and custodians of the enormous collection and the vast amount of "written ancient and modern mental work " which constitutes the most valuable portion of the intellectual life of nations ; and of the progressive civilisation of mankind. You live amongst books, and the con- slant contact and association with literature in all its forms (the very atmosphere you breathe) cannot fail to exercise a deep influence on your minds, tending to elevate you above the range of thought of those whose more ordinary avocations destine them to fulfil less attractive pursuits in the daily routine of their lives. It is my duty to introduce to you my young friend Mr. Boose, our talented librarian, who has undertaken to give us an account of the progress of the Library of the Royal Colonial Institute. In doing so I may mention that many years ago, during the infancy of the Institute I always declared that I should never be satisfied until
