The purpose of traditional copyright law was to encourage the creation of works based on and to ensure reasonable access to original thought. Despite this harmonious intent, an intrinsic tension exists between libraries and copyright holders, as the former promotes "free" access to information that ultimately reduces the income of the…

The United States is home to about 1.3 million organizations that fall under the IRS's 501(c)(3) classification of "[tax]-exempt organizations," known informally as nonprofits. A nonprofit is defined as a formally incorporated nongovernmental organization that operates in the public interest, rather than in order to make a profit. Its income, in…

Many problems in developing biomedical library services for the emerging nations of Southeast Asia remain amenable only to legislation; however, IFLA seems particularly well situated to assist in these tasks. Of the numerous political and technical problems to be overcome, first and foremost are the difficulties involved in the simple transmission…