Many types of libraries serve these different communities. Individually and collectively, these institutions support the open exchange of information on behalf of users in local, state, and regional communities, special libraries, college and university settings, medical and legal institutions, and more. Given their key role in serving the public, libraries are often seen as representing the interests of the public on a host of issues including intellectual property and copyright issues. This view we believe, would undermine the ability of librarians to meet the needs of our diverse user communities. This model fails to incorporate important features of the market for intangibles and the ongoing roles of players in that market who are neither consumers nor merchants.
Libraries play publicly and privately supported intermediary roles.
A primary goal of many libraries is to provide information to people of all ages and backgrounds, in part to raise the education level of and provide important resources to the broader community. Another important role played by libraries is the preservation of our cultural and historical heritage. Licenses that restrict a library's ability to preserve and provide permanent access to digital information significantly hinder, indeed could make impossible, the ability of current and future generations to build upon prior research and benefit from our Nation's rich cultural heritage. Libraries also serve a key function in providing access to public domain resources. Ensuring a rich and robust public domain is a central concern of all libraries.