On the occasion of the publication of the English original, Philip Gill, Chair of the IFLA Working Group which prepared the guidelines, said: "The publication of these new IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for Public Libraries, following wide consultation, present librarians worldwide with standards and guidelines which will help them to develop public libraries relevant to the information age. In this exciting and complex information world, it is vitally important for those in search of knowledge, information and creative experience that they succeed. I believe that these guidelines will help public librarians worldwide meet that challenge.”

A distinctive feature of these guidelines is the inclusion of examples of provision from around the world. They provide snapshots of happenings in public libraries in many different countries and a glimpse of imaginative solutions to specific challenges.