ex libris, et cetera

I originally found this article (click the post title for the scoop) via Jezebel, as I’m not known to read UK newspapers in my spare time. I’m still trying to figure out what exactly this means, because I feel like the article takes an odd tone with it. I can imagine the Council in charge of distributing this questionnaire (that is optional to fill out) thinks it’s doing a good thing by making sure that a transgendered person or someone who has cancer is receiving equal access to “leisure services” - in this case, a library. However, I think it’s interesting to view it as a case of information and service hyper-customization. Obviously, libraries should seek to build diverse collections and offer a myriad of services, but what if they don’t clearly see the need for it? Wouldn’t a quantitative survey allow them to see exactly who is using their services? But then, what do we have to say about a user’s right to privacy (which, conversely, may have already been met by the fact that the survey is optional)?

I’m going to cop out and leave my thoughts at “Hmm…”