Computers in the Library

I have eleven Mac computers in my library and I am actively campaigning for a new PC lab when our site is modernized in the next 2 years.

The American Library Association is releasing a study today that shows public libraries are not keeping up with the demand from the public for computer access.

A new study from the America Library Association, scheduled for release Wednesday, finds the average number of public Internet terminals largely unchanged since 2002, yet only 1 in 5 libraries say they have enough computers to meet demand at all times.

There are a number of reasons cited in the article including flat funding levels (or even decreases) as well as technological hurdles because the libraries, often older buildings, were not designed to house computers. Because funding has not kept pace, public libraries have felt that they need to focus on their core: books and getting people to read books.

No easy answer here. What do you think?