As essential tools for providing education and information to the people, libraries and archives are key institutions within our society. Without strong libraries and archives, democracy cannot flourish. Libraries also serve as the principal gateway to information services for most of our citizens, and as the sole information safety net for many. Archives serve a public trust, safeguarding the records on which the people of a democracy depend for the continuity, accountability, and credibility of their public institutions. Open, accessible records are essential for open, accessible government.
Archives enable the people to inspect for themselves the record of what government has done.
They enable officials and agencies to review their actions and helps citizens hold them accountable. They ensure continuing access to essential evidence that documents the rights of citizens, the actions of governmental officials, and the history and heritage of Texas. In fact, however, libraries are buying and circulating more books than ever before, and there is no indication that the demand for traditional books in libraries is going to diminish any time in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, libraries have had to adapt to the new electronic environment, and to provide access to a dramatically increasing array of digital products and services. This has placed an incredible strain on the ability of libraries to keep up.