Abstract
Before the abolition of the penny rate limitation in 1919 public librarians were outside the mainstream of local government. Between the wars they drew closer to colleagues in the local government union, Nalgo, and librarianship was recognized in the national scheme of conditions of service agreed in 1946. Subsequent improvements in the scheme proved the value of union membership for library staffs and most of them obeyed union instructions during a five-month dispute in 1974. A 'closed shop' would strengthen the union's influence but employers could also be firmer than they were in this dispute. There is a need to define more precisely the normal duties of library staff and to clarify the position of chief officers.
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