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Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

Computer vision provides many opportunities for novel man‐machine interfaces. Pointing and face gestures can be used as a simple, passive means of interfacing with computers and robots. We describe two novel algorithms to track the position and orientation of the user’s hand or face in video images. This information is used to determine where the hand or face is pointing. This can be used in interactive robotics to allow a user with manipulation disabilities or working in hazardous environments to guide a robot manipulator to pick up a simple object of interest.

It is a pleasure to write these lines on the Report of Proceedings under the Diseases of Animals Acts for the year 1934. The report is addressed by the Chief Veterinary Officer to the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. It is a record of most important duties efficiently carried out by the central veterinary authority and the local veterinary authorities in Great Britain during the aforesaid year. Reading “ between the lines ” of the necessarily formal and official wording of the report it is easy to appreciate the extreme complexity of the scientific, administrative and economic problems these various authorities are confronted with in the course of their work. Problems that have to be quickly and satisfactorily dealt with. Admittedly, we owe much to the fact that we are an island, but this fortunate geographical circumstance would not avail us much unless it were inforced by efficient administration and veterinary knowledge kept up to date by research and collaboration with the veterinary world at home and abroad. It is remarked that no cases of cattle plague have been reported since the year 1877 ; no cases of sheep pox—the Peel's pox of an earlier generation of farmers—since 1850 ; no pleuro‐pneumonia since 1898.

HIS holidays over, before the individual and strenuous winter work of his library begins, the wise librarian concentrates for a few weeks on the Annual Meeting of the Library Association. This year the event is of unusual character and of great interest. Fifty years of public service on the part of devoted workers are to be commemorated, and there could be no more fitting place for the commemoration than Edinburgh. It is a special meeting, too, in that for the first time for many years the Library Association gathering will take a really international complexion. If some too exacting critics are forward to say that we have invited a very large number of foreign guests to come to hear themselves talk, we may reply that we want to hear them. There is a higher significance in the occasion than may appear on the surface—for an effort is to be made in the direction of international co‐operation. In spite of the excellent work of the various international schools, we are still insular. Now that the seas are open and a trip to America costs little more than one to (say) Italy, we hope that the way grows clearer to an almost universal co‐working amongst libraries. It is overdue. May our overseas guests find a real atmosphere of welcome, hospitality and friendship amongst us this memorable September!

We offer our readers a special Norwich Conference Souvenir number of “The Library World” which we trust they will find of permanent interest. It contains several features to which we wish to draw their attention. With regard to our article “The Library Association: Old and New Councillors” we thank those who have so kindly sent us details of their career. It has unfortunately been impossible in the short time at our command to obtain portraits of more than a few of the Councillors, and we have therefore decided to omit them in the hope that at some future opportunity we may be able to get together a more complete collection.

It is estimated that there are some 49,000 bridges throughout Great Britain which were not built to comply with national loading standards, introduced in 1922, or were built before the standards were introduced. Some of these bridges were assessed for their load‐carrying capacity in the early 1970s in a programme called ‘Operation Bridgeguard’. The Department of Transport is once more assessing older bridges in a three part programme to:

That the introduction of the Control system should have given rise to a considerable amount of criticism, both appreciative and adverse, was naturally to be expected. The appreciative remarks which have appeared in the press, and those also which have been privately communicated to the directors, indicate that the subject has been intelligently considered, and in some cases carefully investigated and studied. The opinions given are worth having on account of the position and influence of hose who have given them, and on account of the obvious freedom from bias which has characterised them. This is so far satisfactory, and goes to show that the success which has attended the working of the Control system abroad may well be expected to attend it in this country as soon as it is sufficiently well known to be appreciated by the manufacturers and vendors of good and genuine products, and by the general public, whose best interests it cannot but serve.

This paper draws on economic theory and empirical evidence in order to explore the role of incentives and information in the successful implementation of the new hospital funding system in the NHS.

The research is based on case studies in two strategic health authorities comprising in‐depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of background statistics and documentation.

The structure of tariffs under payment‐by‐results (PbR) provides high‐powered incentives for providers to increase activity because they are rewarded for hospital activity, and payments for increases in activity are made at full average cost. However, there is a danger that hospitals will increase activity beyond affordable levels and possibly induce demand inappropriately.

In future, as PbR is extended, it will be important to monitor its intended and unintended effects. Such evaluation should consider the extent to which commissioners are able to live within their budgets and whether hospitals are engaging in opportunistic behaviour and gaming the new funding system.

This study has shed light on the incentive structure of PbR for NHS organisations and has provided insights for the development of information strategies for providers and commissioners in the NHS market. It also highlights a number of policy issues that need to be addressed as PbR is rolled out nationally as well as several important gaps in knowledge that are in need of more sustained investigation.

Resource sharing is an important element in the national planning of library and information services to meet the needs of information, education and culture of the whole community at all levels. An overview of resource sharing practices is presented, with particular reference to the British scene. It is also argued that, with the approach of the Single Market in 1992, resource sharing should now be considered on a European scale. In conclusion, some problems associated with the practice of resource sharing are considered.