Library (institution)

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Introduction

Library (institution), collection of books and other informational materials made available to people for reading, study, or reference. The word library comes from liber, the Latin word for “book.” However, library collections have almost always contained a variety of materials. Contemporary libraries maintain collections that include not only printed materials such as manuscripts, books, newspapers, and magazines, but also art reproductions, films, sound and video recordings, maps, photographs, microfiches, CD-ROMs, computer software, online databases, and other media. In addition to maintaining collections within library buildings, modern libraries often feature telecommunications links that provide users with access to information at remote sites.

The central mission of a library is to collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to knowledge and information. In fulfilling this mission, libraries preserve a valuable record of culture that can be passed down to succeeding generations. Libraries are an essential link in this communication between the past, present, and future. Whether the cultural record is contained in books or in electronic formats, libraries ensure that the record is preserved and made available for later use. Libraries provide people with access to the information they need to work, play, learn, and govern.

People in many professions use library resources to assist them in their work. People also use library resources to gain information about personal interests or to obtain recreational materials such as films and novels. Students use libraries to supplement and enhance their classroom experiences, to learn skills in locating sources of information, and to develop good reading and study habits. Public officials use libraries to research legislation and public policy issues. One of the most valued of all cultural institutions, the library provides information and services that are essential to learning and progress.

This article provides an overview of the different types of libraries and explains in detail their various collections, functions, and services. It also profiles careers in library work, the education of librarians, and several professional organizations for librarians. Other sections of the article trace the history of libraries, from their origins in the ancient world through the end of the 20th century and the major trends and challenges facing libraries today. Finally, the article describes contemporary library systems in countries throughout the world.

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Types of Libraries

Because no single library can contain the information sought by every potential user, different types of libraries exist to serve different needs. Libraries fall into six basic categories: (1) public libraries, which serve all members of the general public; (2) school libraries, which serve students and faculty through the high school level; (3) college and university libraries, which serve students and faculty in higher education; (4) research libraries, which serve the needs of advanced scholars; (5) special libraries, which serve various organizations, industries, and governmental agencies; and (6) government libraries, which serve governmental departments and agencies, and often the general public as well. Each type of library develops its mission statement, collections, services, and facilities to satisfy the needs of its particular clientele.

In the United States, there are more than 130,000 libraries of all types. School libraries account for the majority of libraries in the United States, totaling about 100,000. The United States also has about 16,000 public libraries, including both central and branch libraries. Canada maintains more than 3,700 central and branch public libraries.

Libraries of all types generally form networks with other libraries, through which they share resources, information, technology, and staff expertise. Most libraries exist as autonomous institutions, but nearly all libraries also form parts of larger regional, national, or even international library networks. These links between institutions ensure that a library’s users can obtain needed information quickly and usually free of charge.

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Public Libraries

Public libraries offer their collections and services to all members of the community. The libraries may range in size from one-room facilities in sparsely populated rural areas to large multibranch systems that serve millions of people in urban areas. Urban public library systems generally maintain a large central library in the downtown area as well as several smaller branches—known as neighborhood or community libraries—in the various neighborhoods of the city. Some public libraries provide services to rural areas of their communities with bookmobiles, which are trucks, trailers, vans, or buses equipped to serve as traveling lending libraries.

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Access to Information

Public libraries strive to keep their collections and services open to all members of the community regardless of age, citizenship, occupation, economic status, educational level, ethnicity, or background. In the United States libraries express this principle of nondiscrimination in the Library Bill of Rights, a basic policy statement on access to libraries developed by the American Library Association (ALA). Supporters of public libraries tend to advocate the idea that citizens in a democratic society require free and equal access to information if they are to responsibly choose their elected leaders and vote on issues that affect their communities. For this reason, in the United States, Canada, and many other countries public libraries are generally considered guardians of the democratic principles of freedom, equality, and individual rights.

Not all users share the same reasons for using a library. For example, teenagers may go to the public library after school to study, to use computer workstations, or to socialize with friends. Families may use public libraries to gain access to recreational materials. Small-business owners may use public library collections to conduct research during the initial phases of forming a new business. Unemployed people use the collections to find information about job opportunities. Recent immigrants use the public library to gain language or literacy skills. With such diverse needs for information, public libraries face the increasingly difficult challenge of developing collections and services that reflect the full range of needs in their communities.

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