A library’s value is not limited to the books on its shelves. Access to a computer, help finding reliable information and a place to read with other people can matter just as much. But digital services vary between libraries, and a national policy commitment does not tell a reader what their nearest branch actually provides.

The 2022 IFLA–UNESCO Public Library Manifesto set out an updated role for public libraries in education and access to information. Its emphasis on digital and information literacy reflects a practical problem: being able to get online is different from knowing how to judge or use what you find.

What digital access should make possible

In a policy brief published in November 2025, UNESCO and IFLA connected library services with digital inclusion. The brief covers access, digital skills, information integrity and emerging technologies, and includes examples from South Africa and Tunisia.

These are policy recommendations, not evidence that every library already offers the same facilities. For a visitor, the useful questions are more concrete: can I use a computer, access the material I need, and get help if I am unfamiliar with the system?

Questions to ask before visiting

  1. Membership: What identification or proof of address is required? Can visitors use reading spaces without a borrowing card?
  2. Online resources: Does membership include e-books, audiobooks or research databases? Can they be used from home?
  3. Equipment: Are computers or Wi-Fi available, and are there booking limits or printing charges?
  4. Support: Does the branch offer introductory computer sessions, research help or reading groups?
  5. Accessibility: Ask about step-free access, accessible formats, opening hours and materials in the language you need.

Check the library’s own service information or contact its staff. A facility listed by one library should not be assumed to exist at another.

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Reading programmes depend on people as well as books

A book collection and a supported reading group serve different purposes. The first provides material; the second gives people a place to discuss it. Staff time, suitable meeting space and consistent access are therefore useful things to ask about when assessing a programme.

For a separate example of organised reading support, our report on The Queen’s Reading Room examines its charity partnerships alongside Camilla’s planned BBC documentary. Those projects illustrate one approach to shared reading; they are not a survey of public-library services.

How to judge whether a service is useful

New devices alone do not establish success. A clearer test is whether people can complete the task they came for: find an accessible book, locate a trustworthy source or learn to use a service independently. Opening hours, working equipment and available staff all affect that experience.

This is a guide to evaluating library services, rather than a report of a new worldwide rollout. Local provision needs to be checked branch by branch.