The article argues that libraries serve their purpose as public e-cafes. Given that this is not the original intent of libraries, it would call for re-considering how they have been transformed by modern technology, i.e. the very thing the author mocks the council for having considered.

I would argue for a cloud model to libraries - as centralised a super-library as possible to house the electronic literature and then a series of "thin" libraries that have terminals to access that media.

This article offers personal anecdotes against a corpus of literature on falling library user bases, etc. A NYT author can do better than inducing the state of British libraries from a personal example.