It is clear that we now live in the Information Age. Reliable, affordable access to information of all kinds is now indispensable for education, for business, and for involvement in our democratic society.
Libraries are the foundation of our nation's information network.
For many citizens, libraries are the only reliable and affordable source of the great variety of information that citizens need. These libraries serve over 18 million Texans scattered across 262,017 square miles. Unfortunately, resources are not evenly distributed among these institutions, and citizens around the state do not have equal access to the information and services they need. We can remedy this inequity and improve access for all citizens by sharing library resources across the state. All libraries and all Texans will benefit, since not even the largest library has the resources to meet all the needs of all its users.