Libraries and the Public Access to Information (see Schiller & Schiller)

Some Reasons for keeping some access public

(1) Keeping everyone informed, enriched

• cultural benefits- people can enrich culture; culture is what we share
• economic benefits- learning how to get jobs, etc.
• poor and student benefits- they can't afford materials

Learning takes time

• market is interesting in what sells now
• value in what might not have a current market value.

Need to store important resources

• Today's market might not value something enough

(2) Some Reasons for Privatizing even Public Information

• Create market incentives for more efficient distribution
• Create market incentives for new content and services

(3) Example- Growing profitability of Landsat Maps

• Government launches satellite- decoding shifted to private sector
• Small individuals in private sector can't get access to processing equipment.

(4) What is the conflict between libraries and information businesses?