Open source software is free, right?

Public libraries are also free, right?

Then how hard would it be to give out open-source software in public libraries?

Well it turns out to be much harder than expected. Librarians deal with all sorts of issues in accepting things for a library. Being free is only one of many complex considerations that librarians consider. In this article, Bob Kerr shows how to mediate the interests of the open-source advocate and the public librarian.