If information is free, then the places it is accessed from should not be limited.
The premise behind libraries being public works rather than, say, private collections is that society as a whole is benefitting from this information being free and creating that information as well.
Here you are limited by the whims of a private actor which can be one way one day, and another way when VC money runs out or when it has a "fiduciary responsibility to shareholders" which is the inherent conflict the original poster is sharing.
Having all of the worlds information being parsed by private actors or non-profits who may become private at some time is a problem and the anthesis of "information wants to be free"
The premise behind libraries being public works rather than, say, private collections is that society as a whole is benefitting from this information being free and creating that information as well.
Here you are limited by the whims of a private actor which can be one way one day, and another way when VC money runs out or when it has a "fiduciary responsibility to shareholders" which is the inherent conflict the original poster is sharing.
Having all of the worlds information being parsed by private actors or non-profits who may become private at some time is a problem and the anthesis of "information wants to be free"