It seems Councillor Brian Oxley has made a case for there being no Hove Library at all when he says "The entire library catalogue is stored electronically and is available to browse online".

Then why not put all the books "online" and have no books on the shelves. This would certainly solve the space problem which is, at present, acute.

I often browse online from the comfort of my own home and it is an excellent service but that is when I have some particular "search" in mind.

Browsing on a computer screen I find boring beyond words - unlike walking along the shelves and sitting down to sample a volume before deciding.

At a recent visit I was amazed to observe a trolley full of books shunted into a window recess with a label stuck on the window giving the category of the volumes. Apparently there was not enough shelving.

I don't want more and more books shunted into store because there's not enough space. I want them where I can browse and sample before deciding as do most regular library users.

It is obvious to all not given to sentimentality or opportunistic opposition that the library is no longer adequate for the 21st Century.

-RG Jenkins, Hove