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It has often been said that a great part of the strength of Aslib lies in the fact that it brings together those whose experience has been gained in many widely differing fields but who have a common interest in the means by which information may be collected and disseminated to the greatest advantage. Lists of its members have, therefore, a more than ordinary value since they present, in miniature, a cross‐section of institutions and individuals who share this special interest.

The papers in this issue were given at the 25th Annual Conference, held at Bristol University from 22nd to 25th September, 1950. Some 230 delegates from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and Europe were welcomed to dinner on Friday evening by Sir Philip Morris, C.B.E., M.A., Vice‐Chancellor of the University, and Lady Morris. No papers were given on Friday evening, Mr. J. E. Wright arranging an informal dance after dinner.

Sir Raymond Streat, C.B.E., Director of The Cotton Board, Manchester, accompanied by Lady Streat. A Vice‐President: F. C. Francis, M.A., F.S.A., Keeper of the Department of Printed Books, British Museum. Honorary Treasurer: J. E. Wright, Institution of Electrical Engineers. Honorary Secretary: Mrs. J. Lancaster‐Jones, B.Sc., Science Librarian, British Council. Chairman of Council: Miss Barbara Kyle, Research Worker, Social Sciences Documentation. Director: Leslie Wilson, M.A.

Sir Raymond Streat, C.B.E., Director of The Cotton Board, Manchester, accompanied by Lady Streat. A Vice‐President: F. C. Francis, M.A., F.S.A., Keeper of the Department of Printed Books, British Museum. Honorary Treasurer: J.E.Wright. Honorary Secretary: Mrs. J. Lancaster‐Jones, B.Sc., Science Librarian, British Council. Chairman of Council: Miss Barbara Kyle, Research Worker, Social Sciences Documentation. Director: Leslie Wilson, M.A.

The formation, in May, 1949, of the new Aslib, incorporating the Association of Special Libraries and Information Bureaux and the British Society for International Bibliography, led to a change in the dating of Aslib's financial year, which will now run from January to December instead of from July to June. This report, therefore, extends over eighteen months and links the activities of the old organization with those of its successor.

The Syllabus of the Examinations of the Library Association is being modified to suit the needs of librarians employed in various kinds of libraries. In the nature of things no syllabus can be regarded as satisfactory for all types of library. We talk easily of libraries under three categories, public, university and special, but within each there is a wide diversity and the business of the syllabus must, therefore, be to provide a working foundation on which these varied interests may rightly develop. There is nothing exceptional in this. All training must begin by having regard to general principles, leaving the application of these principles to the judgment of the individual who applies them. Hence, what follows is based on the assumption that librarians in whatever library they are employed will be people who are capable of making a reasonable judgment on principles to suit their particular cases.

The 28th annual conference of Aslib, held at Nottingham University from 11th to 14th September, 1953, proved to be the largest that Aslib has so far organized. A list of those present is printed on pp. 254–260. Yet again Aslib was glad to be able to welcome a number of overseas guests and members, including Dr. and Mrs. Lancour and their small daughter from the U.S.A., Drs. and Mrs. van Dijk and Miss Rom from the Netherlands, Mr. M. S. Dandekar and Mr. J. V. Karandikar from India, Miss D. M. Leach from Canada, and Mrs. T. Collin from Norway. Mr. Walter A. Southern, a Fulbright scholar from the U.S.A. affiliated to Aslib during his year's study in the United Kingdom, represented the Special Libraries Association, and Mr. J. E. Holmstrom attended as an observer on behalf of Unesco.

In 1946 the Royal Society published a booklet entitled Notes on current scientific researches in the United Kingdom. This, though incomplete, was warmly approved at the Society's Empire Scientific Conference, held in June that year, and this approval showed how much an authoritative and comprehensive compilation giving information about the scientific research being carried on in the country would be welcomed. It was appreciated that such a compilation would have to be periodically revised.

Amalgamation with the British Society for International Bibliography, agreed in principle in 1947, was accomplished de facto as from 1 January, 1948. The legal side, however, has taken longer than was anticipated, though the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the new body have been accepted by the Board of Trade and it is hoped that the formalities will be completed during 1948. Until these have taken place the finances of the two organisations have had to be kept separate, although their activities have been controlled as one organization under a joint Council. It is expected that the first Annual General Meeting of the new Aslib will be held about April, 1949, when the whole present Council will resign and a new Council will be elected.

The Aslib Microfilm Service (AMS) was set up in April 1942, as a document delivery service, unique in its time and vital in importance. Its purpose was to make available in microfilm, or enlargements from microfilm, those journals reaching the UK from enemy and enemy‐occupied countries, which would otherwise be inaccessible to the majority of research workers. It performed this function until December 1945. In September 1982, the collection of microfilm negatives was transferred to the British Library Lending Division (BLLD), so it seemed appropriate to note this with a brief summary article about the Service. This article is based on the review of AMS published in Journal of Documentation in 1946