Assesses the role of public libraries with particular reference to the serv
ices they provide to socially excluded groups in society and drawing on the
works of John Stuart Mill and Jurgen Habermas. Discusses the way in which
Mill's reworking of utilitarianism and the emergence of Habermas' concept o
f the 'public sphere' influenced the formation and development of the publi
c library and the definition of its role in terms of social inclusion and e
xclusion. One of the major strengths within the public sphere of the recrea
tional role of the public library is seen to be its impartiality, something
upon which Habermas laid great emphasis. Concludes that the major problem
facing public libraries in the future is the very real danger that the rede
finition of the educational and informational roles of the public library i
nto a 'faked version' of the public sphere will lead to a diminution of ser
vice provision in its recreational and cultural roles.