The Scottish executive (pro Scottish-English union labour) want to MAKE public libraries stay open and offer internet services to more people who cannot afford to have an internet connection at home.

Who will pay for these extended hours and where will the staff come from?

What is more worrying is the dumbing-down and censorship of web sites that may be accessible from libraries . In true US style, we can expect 'filters' being applied to all kinds of web sites, some I agree with, but many others will be blocked as a matter of government doctrine, as the US government has done.

Many things are 'harmful to minors' - but is INFORMATION harmful when it doesn't tow the government of the days ideas?

Of course this will break the European Convention on Human Rights, but that's what Westminster has ALWAYS been about. From the maze in NortherN Ireland, to illegally snooping email and phone taps.

To see how the control freeks in the USA are censoring THEIR PUBLIC VIEWS AND LIBRARIES SEE THIS

CONGRESS PASSES FILTERING MANDATES FOR SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES The U.S. Congress has approved language requiring schools and libraries that receive federal technology funding to block objectionable material on the Internet by installing and using filtering software. The "Children's Internet Protection Act" (CIPA) was passed by both the House and Senate on December 15 as part of the massive budget bill funding the government for next year, and is now all but certain to become law.

CIPA imposes a one-size-fits-all filtering approach on thousands of schools and libraries, ending the ability of local communities to choose which Internet safety measures best meet their needs and values. Potential overblocking by imperfect filters also raises serious free speech concerns that make it certain to be challenged in the courts. CDT expects to join efforts to challenge to the bill.

Internet filtering has been a contentious issue throughout most of this Congress, gathering opposition from a range of businesses, library and school groups, and conservative and liberal public interest groups. CIPA was added as a "rider" amendment to HR 4577, the end-of-year spending package, by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK), longtime proponents of filtering. Although the White House opposed the amendment, the President will almost certainly sign the budget bill it is now a part of. CIPA will go into effect 120 days after enactment, and at that point will begin to impact school and library funding applications for the following year.

A copy of the language passed by Congress can be found here