Welsh Journals

NEWS AND NOTES WELSH DIOCESAN LIBRARIES In 1960 Miss Maura Tallon, F.L.A.I., of Dublin made a tour of Wales, visiting five Welsh Cathedrals and the National Library of Wales. The tour resulted in the publication of two useful pamphlets The first is devoted to an account of the diocesan libraries of the Church in Wales1. It contains an account, based on minutes of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and on the very scarce Proposal setting out a scheme for the erection of four diocesan libraries in Wales in 1705, on the deeds of settlement of the four libraries, and on the Rules drawn up by the Associates of Dr. Bray. The diocesan libraries of Bangor, Brecon, Llandaff, St. Asaph, and St Davids are described. Lists of the more important or interesting books and manuscripts follow a brief account of the cathedral and library buildings. Manuscripts once associated with the Cathedrals but now existing elsewhere are noted. The lists are arranged so as to show the distinctive features of the various collections. Chancellor J. W. James of Bangor has contributed a foreword and there is a short bibliography at the end. The other pamphlet2 deals in a similar manner with the Cardiff Catholic Diocesan Library, which is less well-known than those of the Anglican Cathedrals. The two works constitute a handy and helpful guide to the contents of these six Welsh libraries. E. D. JONES. Aberystwyth. PRIMARY SCHOOL LIBRARIES The Primary School Sub-Committee of the School Library Association has published a very interesting book1 on the use of books in primary schools. It is based not on theoretical speculation but upon information secured from some six dozen schools selected to represent different school environments in town and country in England, Wales, and Scotland. The two contributing schools in Wales were the Bulwark Infants' School at Chepstow and the Dale County Primary School, Haverfordwest. The evidence collected is presented in three main chapters. The first chapter deals with the use of factual books in different fields of learning whether through individual, group, or class studies. The second chapter deals with studies arising out of the reading of literature. The third chapter sets out some conditions of success, depending upon the way children are trained to use the books and upon the flexibility of time tables and schemes of work to encourage teachers to make experiments. Appendix I describes four individual schools and their methods and equipment,-a new village school in Oxfordshire, an urban school in old premises, a junior mixed school in Sussex, and an infants' school in Hertfordshire. Appendix II deals in greater detail with the evidence supplied by the schools covered in the survey on the following subjects — (1) Where are the books kept?; (2) How are the books displayed?; (3) How accessible are the books(?); (4) How are the books classified?; (5) Taking care of the books; (6) Liaison with public libraries; (7) Training children to learn from books; (8) 'But don't they just copy chunks down?'; (9) Some ways in which children are stimulated; (10) Individual, Group, and Class Studies; (11) What do the children produce?; (12) Some comments on book production; and (13) Some miscellaneous comments. Professor Boris Ford has written a foreword to the book. All teachers whether they are responsible for school libraries or not should find the book most stimulating. E. D. JONES. Aberystwyth. 1 Church in Wales Diocesan Libraries by Maura 2 Cardiff Catholic Diocesan Library by Maura Tallon, F.L.A.I., Athlone: 1962; 87 p.; 4to.; Tallon, F.L.A.I., Athlone; 1962; 9 p.; 4to.; wrappers; 6 illustrs., and i map; 5s. wrappers, i illustr.; is.