Following my piece about terror searches near the Taking Liberties exhibition inside the British Library, I eventually received a statement from the British Library which regretfully does not answer the questions about privacy nor makes any comment about the irony of these searches taking place within whispering distance of a show devoted to freedom.

Nevertheless there is an admission that the searches were incorrect and this is important to people who wish to go the library without being challenged unnecessarily by the police.

The statement, issued by Miki Lentin, head of media relations, strategic marketing and communications of the British Library is as follows.

Monday 23rd February 2009, two police officers from the Metropolitan police service approached British Library security staff at the front entrance and requested Miki Lenton that they could carry out stop and search with members of the public under the Terrorism Act.

The British Library's own security services are responsible for ensuring the safety of our readers and the collections, and any police searches on our premises should be strictly and clearly voluntary. It appears that the correct procedures were not followed in this case and we will be investigating this further.

It is the British Library's policy to ensure the safety and security of our readers and collections at all times. We operate random bag searches at the main customer and staff entrances to the building based on the security advice we receive on a regular basis from the Metropolitan police service.

Due to the British Library's position within the King's Cross area, as well as our proximity to one of the capital's largest transport hubs, St Pancras, the British Library benefits from a proactive and supportive relationship with the Metropolitan police service.

Mr Lentin refused to add anything to this or comment on the unwitting irony of this lapse in the correct procedure. Asked if this was because he was government servant, he declined to comment further.