§ Mr. Hattersleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now make a statement about the future of the Polish Library, having regard to the representations made to him to preserve the unity of the Library's valuable collection.
§ Mr. CroslandYes. The Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University whose centre for Russian and East-European studies is developing a special interest in Polish studies has offered to take over, without new building or additional finance, the research collection of the Polish Library, excluding only the lending books of popular character 349W which have been offered as a gift to the Polish Social and Cultural Association in whose premises the Library is at present housed. Birmingham University would keep the research collection together as a whole, continue the name "The Polish Library", make the books available for inter-library lending either directly or through the National Central Library and agree to registered users of the present Library using it for reference. I am in touch with other academic interests and with representatives of the Polish community about this offer, which seems to me to provide the basis of a satisfactory and settled future for the Polish Library.