The public library in the digital age: New technologies/perennial problems.

摘要

This paper briefly describes a hypothetical extension of the current public library, a public data bank (PDB), that would provide books and other material in digital form to the public via computer modems and other transmission mechanisms, with no user charge. A select set of the economic issues that arise with this PDB are considered, particularly the difficulties stemming from the need to compensate authors. "Non-repetitive, perfectly substitutable" public goods are considered in the latter part of the paper, using a model and analysis developed by Oakland. The paper shows that under some conditions, a mixed system, where public provision does not completely crowd out the private sector, can be more efficient than pure private provision, and also avoid the over supply which can be a danger with pure public provision of the good.