The social and political dichotomy of library service: ¿Users or clients?.

Abstract

Two ideas are compared and contrasted in the practice and theory of Library science: 1] libraries at the service of the public, and 2] libraries at the service of the clients. This duality is explained based on two key concepts found in the discipline’s literature: users and clients. It is a social and political dichotomy that places at risk both the concept of library public service and public library service. In this perspective, the loan of public property serving the public is contrasted with the
buying-selling of products and services to clients as an element of marketing.