After 25 years and 100 issues, a final editorial.

• Author: Bundy, Alan
• Position: Editorial

Consequential only on the advancing years of its editor and publisher, this is the final issue of Australasian public libraries and information services (Aplis).

In its April 1988 first issue, the late Warren Horton, director general of the National Library of Australia, welcomed it with the words

We need an effective forum for communication on public library issues. Public libraries, notwithstanding present funding difficulties, face a potentially exciting future. Aplis can only be of benefit in encouraging widespread debate and a better flow of information. Horton also noted that he had been a joint editor of an earlier attempt at an Australian public library journal, the then Library Association of Australia's Australian public library issues, which only lasted from 1971-73 due, he told me, largely to the lack of contributions from public library practitioners, too preoccupied to let others know of their achievements and challenges. Horton, as I, was also enthusiastic about greater public library awareness between Australia and New Zealand; recognised that New Zealand was then considerably ahead of Australia in the provision of public libraries for all of its citizens; and provided lessons from which Australia could learn.

My editorial in that first issue of...