Publisher's Synopsis
John Metcalfe was the most important Australian librarian of his generation. He helped create what is now the Australian Library and Information Association; was the founding editor of its journal; introduced formal programs of library education into Australia; directed two of the major libraries of the nation-the Public Library of New South Wales (now the State Library of NSW) and the Library of the University of NSW; and spearheaded the movement that led to the creation of free public libraries. A keen observer, constantly making comparisons, Metcalfe went everywhere, and met everyone on a number of extended trips to the U.S. and U.K. His unpublished reports and diaries make vivid reading. These and several additional unpublished documents combine to create a "proto-biography" of Metcalfe.
