Library placings

It was pleasing to see the report by Kam Patel which recognised the rapidly changing nature of librarianship (THES, August 22). However it is not true that in the last research assessment exercise there was a gap between the four departments which scored 4 and above and the rest which scored 3B or lower. There were three departments, at Queen's Belfast, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen and Northumbria at Newcastle which scored 3A. Given the relatively small number of departments involved, this represents a considerable proportion.

Dick Hartley

Chair, British Association for Information and Library Education and Research