ABSTRACT
Sally Reed is correct: “Equality of access necessarily means aggressive and unequal service.” Unequal service, however, means not “special” service, but rather appropriate service. If two patients arrive at a hospital, one requiring surgery and the other aspirin, I hope that they receive unequal service. There is no doubt that, except in rare cases, libraries are failing to provide equal access to many portions of their service community, including the two populations Sally Reed focuses on: people with mental impairments and those who are illiterate or newly literate. We must continue to improve access.
