SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Friday 18th April. 1941.

FP/210.

Library Service for the Press

1. The project of making available to the Press some form of library service in the Ministry has been mentioned several times to the Board. It has arisen chiefly in connection with questions as to the form in which B.B.C. monitoring is to be made available, if at all, to the Press as part of this service. I think that the project has now crystallised in a final form.

2. a. It is proposed to make a room available as the site of the library, furnished with reasonable comfort. The old Press Bar is suggested.

b. The material to be furnished is to consist of foreign newspapers, Empax telegrams, Ministry background material (from Heald's department), the B.B.C. Monitoring Service (Digest and teleprinter service edited by Anti-Lies Bureau): and, in addition, standard reference books and maps.

c. The administration of the library is to be under the News Division, but it will also be available for the maintenance of individual contacts with leader and feature writers which were started by Mr. Warner Allen and have been continued by Mr. Ivor Lambe who has been temporarily in charge of the room.

d. I propose to make the room available to all Pressmen having access to the Ministry. On a previous occasion the Board were in favour of asking a small annual subscription for the privilege of using the library. The recommendations made to me, however, are unanimously to the effect that this restriction would not be needed to keep down the numbers of those using the library, but that it would be awkward to enforce and that it would tie the hands of the Ministry in any future arrangements about the room.

3. The Allied Newspapers who had accepted an offer from the Ministry last Autumn to take the full B.B.C. Monitoring Service at £500 per annum have given notice to determine this agreement, and it is determined. When the lack of news from the Balkans became serious and communications practically stopped, I arranged for the B.B.C. Monitoring teleprinter service (edited by Anti-Lies) 36 -2-to be posted in the Macmillan Hall for the use of the Press. This was certainly very much appreciated and used.

4. These proposals are the outcome of discussions I have had with Mr. Robert Fraser and Mr. Ivor Lambe (who is at present carrying on the Warner Allen “connection”), Mr. Francis Williams and Mr. Brebner.

C.R.