Will I be able to use library computers for e-mail or will I need to visit internet cafes?

Where?

Anywhere in the UK & Ireland.

Also does anyone know which banks charge the lowest assessed fees for ATM & credit cards?

Hello HollyLee...We were in Ireland last year, and used both libraries and internet cafes. Worked out very well....Helen

HollyLee -

You need to call your bank and ask. They're the one that charges the fees - not the banks where you actually get the cash.

Used internet in libraries in the England without a problem (free). Just a reminder, public access internet areas (libraries, cafes, etc) may contain spyware which can capture your passwords. Don't do any financial transactions on them (including anything with credit cards).

What do you mean about lowest assessed fees? Many credit card companies offer cards with no annual fees. Many also have specials with no or very low interest rates for a short amount of time. For foreign purchases, MBNA cards do not add any additional fees above the 1% asssessed by Visa/MC. I think Capital One is the same.
ATM fees are bank and account dependent. Many credit unions do not charge a fee for using non-affliated ATM machines. Some banks give you a fixed number of fee-free ATM uses per month if you have certain types of accounts.
So far, in the UK, no bank assesses a fee for using their ATMs. This may change as the banks there keep trying to add on charges. However, you probably will be assessed a fee at non-bank ATMs (in convenience stores, etc). This is fairly new.

There are so many internet cafes in the UK - esp. in London - that you may not need to look for libraries at all. Plus lots of hotels & B&B's will have a computer you can use for about the same fee as a cafe.