James Coates` August 7 article, ”The next ruling class,” publicizes an issue which has caused deep concern within the library community for some time, i.e., unequal access to information. What he fails to mention is that, once again, The Chicago Public Library comes to the rescue and levels the playing field.
The Computer-Assisted Reference Center (CARC) of The Chicago Public Library has subscriptions to most of the online databases he is talking about. They have access to more than 400 databases. For a minimal fee you can have a librarian access the information in these databases. For instance, his search which cost $33.60 would cost only $7 in CARC.
In addition, the Information Center at The Chicago Public Library has free access to the stories he mentions starting in 1987 through their CD-Rom version of the Chicago Tribune.
This issue clearly illustrates why it is imperative that funding for libraries not be cut. Public libraries are still one of the few institutions devoted to equal access to information.
