Library and information policies in the US – Historical study

The first federal law of Library Services Act in the U.S. passed in 1956. The fact that Museum and Library Service Act became Public Law in 1996 authorized the institute to support for library services. Yet the legislation process has always been complex. For example, in 2014 the issues of information as public goods or private property, information access as basic human right have been the subject of intense debate. This study is designed to provide an analysis of important legislation that would affect library and information policies and privacy. Two research questions are proposed: (1) What are the library and information service related laws in the U.S.? (2) When and how these laws are realized? Historical research approach and content analysis were applied. This poster will present an inventory of information related bills and Laws chronologically and give a historical overview on two selective areas to illustrate the key factors that made the success of legislative results