What of the Information Poor? Available to Purchase

Information in electronic formats is becoming more and more the chosen medium for publishers. Value‐added services are available to customize downloaded data to user‐specific requirements with software applications such as expert systems and hypermedia. The public library′s role as the focal point for information access in any community necessitates confirmation of this role through central and local government provision of adequate resources. Such resources must be sufficient to increase those information technology‐based services already offered, together with the provision of value‐added facilities for all library users, such that the existing division of the information rich and the information poor, dependent on the user′s institutional support, ceases to be of such significance. The library is the central referral point for information for its user community and such a role must be financially supported to avoid a divisive information society.