b'Chapter 9 Libraries and Museums Library services 9.1 The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 (the 1964 Act) sets out the main duties of a library authority, the most fundamental of which is to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use of it. The provisions of the 1964 Act which deal with charging for library services (section 8) have undergone amendment by virtue of section 154 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. A statutory instrument (the Library Charges (England and Wales) Regulations 1991 (SI 1991/2712) was introduced with effect from 1 January 1992. These provisions enable library authorities to make charges for certain specified services. In particular, charges can be levied for the lending or receiving of material, the late return of material, the destruction, damage or loss of material or apparatus, the making available of apparatus for use, including the assistance of a person in the use of computers or in the conduct of research, the supply of catalogues, material and copies of material where they become the property of the person supplied, the provision of a room or cubicle for a persons sole use, and the making available of library facilities which go beyond those ordinarily provided by the authority as part of the library service. The above enabling provisions are subject to the caveat that no charge can be made for the lending of any written material to any person where the authority is duty bound (under section 7 of the 1964 Act) to make facilities for borrowing available to that person, and the material is readable without the use of any electronic or other apparatus. No charge may be made either for making facilities available for any person to read written materials held by the authority in a form that is readable without the use of electronic or other apparatus or in micro firm or to consult library catalogues and indexes. The amount and incidence of any charge for library services and facilities is at the discretion of the library authority. Library authorities are required to display, in a conspicuous place within each library premises occupied by them, an easily readable notice specifying the library facilities for which a charge is made, the amount of the charge or the basis on which it will be calculated. Under section 20 of the 1964 Act, local authorities maintaining library premises may use them, or allow them to be used, whether in return for payment or not, for holding meetings and exhibitions, showing films and slides, giving musical performances and holding other events of an educational or cultural nature and may make or authorise the making of admission charges. 112'