Phil:
Having been involved in computerised library systems (including Birmingham's) since 1988 until a couple of years ago, the last ten years as a consultant, I've noticed the huge growth in the Schools Library Systems, where the school libraries are effectively a small branch of the Library Authority with their own budgets and media purchases being part of the central systems. This rather supercedes library visits by schools that we both knew many years ago. That leaves the branch libraries with a few pensioners and what amounts to an internet cafe (without the coffee). The reference sections, formerly used by local businesses to consult Kompass and similar directories, are now catered for by online services.
Sure those library "internet cafes" have done deals with the likes of Ancestry and Gales 19th Century Newspapers to allow library users limited free access from the branches, but branch libraries are now struggling to justify the huge outgoings to maintain the buildings for a small number of users. Some have experimented with opening on Sundays, but now we're down to minimum staffing and reduced service by closing on certain days of the week. Cataloguers are a dead breed as almost all the work is done by the British Library and about three specialist outsourcing companies.
Shortly we'll be left with large central libraries and a few mobiles servicing the old folks day centres, and empty big buildings standing on valuable development land. I don't like it any more than you, but I can't see an alternative way forward.
Maurice