§ 39. Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Education how many libraries under the direct or indirect control of the Board of Education are chargeable to the Education Votes; how many volumes are there in these libraries; whether they are accessible to the members of the teaching profession and the general public; what are the hours of admission for teachers and the general public; and how can admission be obtained?
Duchess of ATHOLLAs the reply to this question is rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ There are three libraries under the Board's control—the Board of Education Library, the Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum Library. The Board of Education Library, a short account of which was included in the Board's Annual Report for 1925–26, contains about 60,000 books and pamphlets. It is open to the teaching profession and the general public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except on Saturdays when it closes at 1 p.m., and on public holidays and Sundays. Admission can be obtained on application at the Board's offices. The Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum is a specialised reference library of books on art, and contains about 150,000 volumes and about 250,000 photographs. Under the same administration are the Dyce and Forster Libraries containing about 35,000 volumes, chiefly of interest to students of English literature. These libraries are open to members of the teaching profession and the general public on all weekdays, except Good Friday and Christmas 1850 Day, on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8.50 p.m., and on other days from 10 a.m. until 4.50 p.m. Any visitor to the Museum over 18 years of age is freely admitted to the Library to consult ordinary reference books or textbooks on writing his or her name and address at the entrance to the Reading Room. Those not holding other tickets conferring the privilege (such as British Museum Reading Room tickets or membership cards of the National Art-Collections Fund) who desire full use of the Library are requested to make application, accompanied by a personal recommendation from a householder, for a Reader's ticket, which is supplied gratuitously. The Departments of the Museum, including the Indian Section and Bethnal Green, which are in separate buildings, have in each case small libraries of special books for reference in connection with their collections; these are normally accessible to inquirers in the Departments and to visitors who use the Departmental students' rooms. The Science Museum Library is the National Library especially devoted to pure and applied science. It contains about 184,000 volumes and is open to members of the teaching profession and the general public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Admission can be obtained on application to the Director of the Museum or the Keeper of the Library.