ABSTRACT
Present government policies are aimed at increasing access to public libraries. The reader development organization, Opening the Book declares that, 'the best book in the world is quite simply the one we like best'. This chapter offers opportunities for people to share their reading experience, and raise the status of reading as a creative activity. The public library has long been regarded as every person's university and at its best; it provides equality of access to the classics and the canon, and also to new cultural opportunities and experiences. Many UK policies appear in practice to be rather less prescriptive and tend to emphasize the importance of demand. Most library stock selection policies do include a reference to serious literature it is not always evident that library practice reflects the philosophy suggested by such documents. The public library should aim to provide, a collection that opens the door to the endless possibilities inherent in books and reading.
