A Missed Library Opportunity

Having now read the House of Commons Select Committee Report on libraries, I must say I find it disappointing.  Given that the ebook lending review is underway, perhaps it would be too much to expect the MPs to try to pre-empt it, but some greater awareness of the ebook issue would be welcome.  Inparticular, the 1964 definition of comprehensive and efficient is crying out for updating to include electronic media.  Many of the witnesses to the committee appear to have emphasised the importance of internet use at libraries, yet it doesn't come across in the report.  A missed chance to modernise libraries. 

The views of a number of library campaigners are summarised on public libraries news.   I think Alan Gibbons is right in saying that many of them probably had unreasonable expections of what the Committee was likely to produce, but I think it could and should have produced an attempt to update the definition of what a comprehensive and efficient library service is, and especially that it covers electronic information as well as printed materials.  Without the definition being widened for the modern age, the library service will slowly slide away.