Catalan public libraries hit new record: 20 million users

Never such as access to knowledge was so widespread. Public libraries are becoming not only centres or access to knowledge and culture (through consultation and lending of books and audiovisuals, and free internet access), but also hotspots of social gathering of different generations of Catalans and newcomers. In Catalonia, the 333 public libraries jumped last year for the first time the barrier of 20 million users. The Catalan minister of Culture, Joan Manuel Tresserras, admitted yesterday that the economic crisis may be one of the reasons behind the increasing number if users, but also insisted on the "improvement and modernization" of these facilities.