Front Cover

A file of meeting minutes, memoranda, and reports relating to the British government's policy on the supply of books. Subjects covered in the file include the importation and exportation of books; the allocation of materials for bookmaking, such as paper and cloth; the labour situation in the bookmaking industry, including the recruitment of women to replace conscripted men; and the supply of recreational books to the British armed forces to boost morale. Other subjects discussed include the spread of British culture and the English language by the British Council; concern over book shortages in educational institutions and libraries due to the bookbinding trade's inability to meet demand; and the issue of the quality of books. Documents in the file include a discussion of the Forces Book Club; a paper on the re-binding of books for public libraries; and a memorandum on the need to maintain pre-war levels of publishing for medical texts.