88 The Library. BLACKBURN. In January a man was fined 205., costs, and the price of re-binding, for malicious damage to a book borrowed from the Free Library, and for felonious intent in an attempt to sell it after mutilation. BLAENAU FESTINIOGr. A short time ago, the local board of Blaenau Festiniog resolved to adopt the Public Libraries Acts, if, on taking a vote, they found the ratepayers were in favour of it. A poll was taken, resulting in favour of adopting the Acts, and there is now open a central library at Fourcrosses, and a local branch at Festiniog Village, and another at Tanygrisian. BRADFORD. Mr. Butler Wood recently read a paper on "The Influence of the Moorlands on Charlotte and Emily Bronte," before the Bradford Scientific Association, which has been printed as a small pamphlet. He has also issued a useful " Hand-list of Works on Tech- nical and Kindred Subjects recently added to the Reference Library," in the selections of books for which he obtained the assistance of the heads of departments in the Technical College. BRISTOL. The Town Council in January, by thirty-seven votes to nineteen, has refused to open the Free Libraries in the town on Sundays. In the Bristol Observer, of January 2oth, is an account, with illus- trations, of the St, Philip's Branch Library, Bristol. CAMBORNE. Mr. Passmore Edwards, in November, offered to give 2,000 towards the cost of a Free Library building at Camborne, on condition that the ratepayers (who some months ago voted against the adoption of the Free Libraries Act) consent to maintain it. CAMBRIDGE. At the December meeting of the Free Library Committee it was unanimously agreed to extend the benefits of the Lend- ing Library to persons residing in the county, upon payment of a small annual subscription. CARDIFF. On the 28th February the memorial stones of the ex- tension of the Free Library in the Hayes were laid. COLNE. At the monthly meeting of the Colne Local Board on Feb- ruary 28, Mr. R. Foulds gave notice of his intention to move, at the next meeting of the Board, a resolution that the Public Libraries Acts of 1892 and 1893 be adopted by the board. DRUMOAK, ABERDEENSHIRE. The Public Library of this small parish was opened on January 9th by Mr. Irvine, of Drum. The Rev. W. M. Grant, one of the speakers, among other things said that "the Committee, though largely under clerical influence, had given the first place to fiction. He liked a good novel, and did not think time mis-spent even in reading a novel not very good." The Rev. Charles Mackie followed in a racy speech in which he stated that Mr. Grant and himself had exercised a very severe censorship in weeding out books from those forming the nucleus of the Library. He remarked that it might be supposed that the rejected were novels and such-like, but strange to say they were entirely works of reverend divines of the most unimpeachable orthodoxy ! There is considerable hope for the village libraries when the clergy seem disposed to approach the subject in such a liberal and self-denying spirit.
