Public library services in the United Kingdom – a vision for the future

Abstract

Public libraries in the U.K. cater to a vast section of society, of all age-groups and across different social, economic and intellectual strata, fulfilling their information needs and assi­sting in the day-to-day necessities of the technological age. However, the acute constraints of space and finance coupled with the leaping advances in technology, have made it impossible for public libraries to survive and grow. An alarming number of them have been shut down or reduced or are now run by volunteers. The future looks bleak. It is against this backdrop that the author suggests that, rather than depending on the government mechanism or philanthropists, it is the library pro­fessionals themselves, who need to come out of their place behind the circulation desk and shout out aloud about their importance and place in the local community. After all it not only the future of the public library, but their own future which is at stake as well.