Marcel Berlins adds his voice to the piped music debate in today's Guardian. I'm surprised that Gloucestershire should introduce something so passé; haven't they heard of the iPod? Those who want music while they browse can have their own, without disturbing anyone else or the library staff having to overcome the difficulties of reconciling differing tastes.
I would be annoyed by piped music in a lending area. On the other hand, as a boy I used to visit the gramophone library in Cambridge public library, which played an important part in the development of my musical interests. The music section was divided from the lending section by glass doors and they would play records to browsers. I was often intrigued by what I heard and would ask the staff what it was and if I could borrow it. Thus I discovered Janáček, among others. It seems unlikely that Gloucestershire were planning to play On an Overgrown Path.
