Constraining Public Libraries: The World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services

This compelling argument for why the library community should be concerned about the effect of international trade agreements on the ability to deliver library and information services to the public begins with a rigorous yet succinct description of the relevant provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The book then proceeds to discuss how it is likely to impact particular public library services and how the library community could best respond to these challenges. While there cannot be certainty when considering how GATS will ultimately impinge upon public libraries, this book pinpoints potential problem areas. By informing public libraries on the WTO and providing the foundation for effective advocacy at the domestic and international levels, this book goes a long way in ensuring that public libraries continue to play a central role in their communities for generations to come.