She said the scheme was about local people making decisions for themselves and it could enhance people's lives, get them involved, raise user numbers and keep libraries sustained.

BBC: Surrey County Council's volunteer library plan to proceed

James Neal, who as head of Columbia University's libraries in New York is a big customer, gives Reed Elsevier top marks for creating user-friendly research products, but he also has a six-point gripe list with the company that includes price-gouging and concerns that scientific journals are increasingly being consolidated under one corporate banner.

FORBES: Double Dutch No Longer

It's full of schools, libraries, parks, police and fire departments, most of which are viewed favorably by their very large user bases.

FORBES: Magazine Article