54
uti
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO885/25
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Annexure 1 to No. 63.
THE LIBRARY OF THE TROPICAL DISEASES BUREAU.
Memorandum.
WHEN the housing of the Tropical Diseases Bureau in the Seamen's Hospital Society's premises in Endsleigh Gardens was under discussion, one of the reasons why the presence of the Bureau under the same roof as the London School of Tropical Medicine was regarded as advantageous to both institutions was that each had a library of similar character, and that these would now be brought together, each compensating the defects and supplementing the lacunæ of the other.
With this in view, the Bureau was assigned four rooms on the third floor of the Endsleigh Palace Hotel building for office accommodation, while the former hotel reading room and billiard room on the ground floor and basement floor respec- tively (each measuring 33 feet by 18 feet 8 inches), were set apart for the accommo- dation of the projected joint library. Meanwhile, negotiations between a repre- sentative of the School and the Director of the Bureau were begun with a view to discussing in detail the lines upon which the combination of the two libraries and the co-ordination of the work therewith could best be brought about, so as to form and maintain a comprehensive general library of tropical medicine, parasitology, and hygiene.
In discussing the form which the combination of the two libraries should take. two possibilities presented themselves, viz. :—
1. The bringing of the two libraries together for common use without merging them, so that each should retain its separate identity in the event of future separation, or
2. The permanent fusion of the two libraries and the merging of their identities in a common tropical diseases library.
The principle involved in the first possibility, i.e., of bringing the two libraries together to form a joint library, so constituted that either party could withdraw at any subsequent time, removing the volumes and reports which belonged to it, was originally favoured by the Director. For various reasons this princple is now seen to be impracticable. On the one hand, many series of journals are represented in hoth libraries, and if each were to carry on with the idea of possible separation, there would be such a duplication of volumes that the available space would very soon be filled up; on the other hand, assuming that this duplication came to an end, if the Bureau were to part company with the School at any time, either the School library would be left in a worse position than before the amalgamation, having ceased to obtain some important journals, or the Bureau library would suffer for a similar reason.
That is to say, if a joint library with the maximum of usefulness
is to be formed there must be a definite amalgamation from which there can be no retreat—i.e., a permanent fusion of the two libraries with a merging of their identities.
Such fusion, however, entails:—
1. The permanent housing of the Bureau with the London School of Tropical Medicine, or in the building which shall contain the joint library, as, for the Bureau's work, proximity to, and free use of, the library are essential.
2. The allocation of a portion of the Bureau's income annually towards the maintenance and development of the joint library,
As regards (1) the permanent association of the Bureau with the School, it has to be decided first whether such a course is consonant with possible future plans for the development under the Colonial Office of the Bureau's activities as a medical intelligence service for the aggrandizement of the tropical regions of the Empire. If permanent association with the School is agreed to in principle, the question arises how best to secure it. At present the Bureau's tenure of its offices in the Endsleigh Gardens building is subject to the goodwill of the Seamen's Hospital Society, and though such an eventuality is not anticipated, it is possible that the growth of the Hospital and School, in the course of time, may lead to the displace- ment of the Bureau unless permanency of tenure is secured.
As regards (2) the allocation of an annual sum by the Bureau towards the expenses of the joint library; (a) at present the grants on which the Bureau depends for its upkeep are guaranteed for a period limited to five years. The Managing Committee cannot, therefore, commit itself to any scheme of expenditure of a permanent character unless the Bureau's continued existence and income are
91
assured; (b) the joint library would be only partly under the Bureau's control, or it might be deemed advisable to vest its management in a third body, such as the Seamen's Hospital Society. In either case control of the sum allocated by the Bureau would be incomplete, though, under the constitution of the Bureau, the Committee is responsible for all expenditure to the Secretary of State.
The questions of policy affecting the Bureau thus raised by the proposal to amalgamate the libraries of the Bureau and the School can only be decided by the Honorary Managing Committee.
The main points for decision are:-
1. Whether the Committee approves the permanent fusion of the Bureau and School libraries, understanding that it connotes the permanency of the association of the Bureau with the School; and, if so,
2. Whether the Committee will sanction the allocation of a portion of the Bureau's income annually towards the maintenance and development of a library of which its control is incomplete.
The Bureau's library consists of some 2,000 bound volumes, of which 1,550 are periodical publications containing original papers on tropical diseases or parasito logy, and 450 are miscellaneous books on tropical diseases, tropical sanitation, and parasitology. It possesses, in addition, some 3,000 reprints and pamphlets (includ- ing a valuable collection of published papers relating to trypanosomiasis), and over 1,300 annual medical and sanitary reports from India and the Colonies. It is receiving regularly 213 current journals selected for their special interest to workers on tropical medicine and parasitology; of these 30 are veterinary. Seventy four of the series are complete from the commencement of publication. Complete sets of 10 other journals which have now ceased publication are also contained in the library.
Advantages to the Bureau of amalgamation of the Libraries :——
1. A better library would be available for the staff of the Bureau, both whole and part time, and application to other libraries, which may or may not contain what is wanted, would be less often necessary.
2. A much larger sum would be available for the development of the joint library than can be found for that of the Bureau.
3. At present the Bureau's library is in the Bureau's rooms on the third floor, where the space is already insufficient to set out the books to advantage; their removal to the ground floor will soon be a matter of urgency. The advantages to the general medical public are too obvious to need comment.
ARTHUR G. BAGSHAWE.
Annexure 2 to No. 63. TROPICAL DISEASES BUREAU.
TATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1ST APRIL, 1919,
Receipts.
to 31st March, 1920.
Parliamentary Grant in Aid
Colonial Contributions :--
South Africa
Gold Coast
do
£
s. d. 500 0
£ s. d.
150 0 0
Jamaica
50 0 0
Trinidad (1918), (1919), (1920
100 0 0
75 0 0
Nigeria
100 0 0
Gambia
25 0 0
50 0 0
75 0
50 0 0
50 0 0
British Guiana (1920)
100 0 0
100 0 0
100 0 0
250 0 0
1,775 0 0
Federated Malay States
Fiji (1919), (1920)
Ceylon
Sierra Leone
Hong Kong (1920) Zanzibar (1920)
India Contribution