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Because of a lamentable lack of evidence, no‐one really knows how extensive theft is in economic terms in companies. Employee theft is estimated by the US Government to be $40 billion a year. The enormity of this figure can be put into perspective when compared to the estimate of $4 billion annually for street crime. Moreover, law enforcement officials maintain that more than 90 per cent of crime today occurs inside businesses rather than in the streets.

The analysis of the processes determining unemployment in an open economy has been considerably advanced by the work of Layard, Nickell and Jackman in their book Unemployment: Macroeconomic Performance and the Labour Market. Reviews their contribution. They have developed an analysis based on the role of the “wedge” between the producer and consumer wages. This wedge depends, in part, on the real exchange rate. A change in the wedge may change the bargain between unions and employers. If it does, then a change in the real exchange rate may change the equilibrium level of unemployment. It is frequently claimed that this is, indeed, the case. Argues that the theoretical and empirical support for this proposition is rather weak.

Librarians are good at acquiring, preserving and organizing collections, but what is the point unless these collections are used? Argues that librarians should take responsibility for seeing that their collections are used, if necessary, and perhaps even ideally, by themselves.

IN sharp contrast to the general feeling and practice throughout the country is that of the East Ham Corporation which on the recommendation of its Service Committee, has placed its Public Library system in the control of its Education Committee as from November next. This is the first instance known to us of a county borough falling into the trap laid for it by the educationists in the Public Libraries Act of 1919. East Ham does not rank high in the list of municipalities, and it is, perhaps, unnecessary to fear that its example will have many serious imitators.

THIS month is that in which librarians of public libraries are concerned with budgets. In spite of occasional croakings, it is fair to say that the worst of the crisis is over, and, if prosperity is not here, it is at least on the way. It will be interesting to learn if the cuts which some libraries had to make in their appropriations will be continued this year. Libraries have demonstrated beyond disproof that they have played a part in the depression in raising some of the gloom from the minds of the people, and can make reasonable claim to have financial consideration of the fact. Fortunately, in our worst times, the grotesque cutting which public libraries in the United States were called to endure was not suffered here.

BOURNEMOUTH lies in one of the most beautiful parts of South‐west England; and all the world knows how this region has been immortalised by Thomas Hardy, who by his romances and poems has introduced to the public of England and America the ancient land of Wessex.

THE following list of errata, adjustments and revisions of the actual classification itself, represents all that it has been deemed necessary to note in the way of such alterations, and the changes have been suggested by the experience of users and the discoveries of various librarians. Those who use the scheme should have the changes noted in an interleaved copy of the book, and others may find it desirable to do likewise, pending the appearance of a revised issue which will be published in the near future. Most of the changes are self‐explanatory, and their meaning can be ascertained at once by reference to the S.C. itself. Suggestions and notes of errors will be very gratefully received, as it is only by the vigilance and practical working of many minds that a classification scheme can ever arrive at even reasonable accuracy and completeness.

EVERYONE interested in the British library movement will learn with sorrow and regret that one of its greatest friends and strongest champions has passed away, in the person of Thomas Greenwood, the kind‐hearted and generous advocate of libraries, who won the respect and regard of every English libiarian. From one of his own periodicals the following particulars are abstracted:—

By the time these pages appear Christmas will have become but a memory; even the indigestion provoked in many of us by our zealous participation in the Christmas spirit will, it is hoped, have become a thing of the past. But as we write this spirit is abroad, and presents are still depleting our surplus finances. Every year more and more of these seasonable gifts take the form of books, and a very large percentage of children, particularly, will surely receive some reading matter from one or other of their friends or relations. Not so many years ago in most instances this Christmas book would be the only volume those children would see that year! Fortunately, we librarians can say, with Sganarelle, that “we have changed all that.” Our children's libraries throughout the country are sufficiently adequate to ensure that no child in a library area is unable to read to his or her heart's content—the days when three or four books must needs satisfy a child's thirst for reading have now been put definitely behind us.