Julio Pérez Ferrero Library - Cúcuta, Colombia

A modern-style library in Chambéry

A library is a collection of information, sources, resources, and services: it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. Cúcuta (ˈkukuta is a Colombian city, capital of the North Santander Department and located in the northeast of the country Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Chambéry (Ciamberì or Sciamberì) is the capital of the department of Savoie, France. In the more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books. A Book is a set or collection of written printed illustrated or blank sheets made of Paper, Parchment, or other material usually fastened together

The collection and services are used by people who choose not to — or cannot afford to — purchase an extensive collection themselves, who need material no individual can reasonably be expected to have, or who require professional assistance with their research.

However, with the collection of media other than books for storing information, many libraries are now also repositories and access points for maps, prints, or other documents and artworks on various storage media such as microform (microfilm/microfiche), audio tapes, CDs, LPs, cassettes, videotapes, and DVDs. A data storage device is a device for recording (storing information (data A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, Regions, and Themes A print room is either a room or industrial building where Printing takes place or a room in an Art gallery, Museum or Archive, where a collection A document (noun is a bounded physical representation of body of Information designed with the capacity (and usually intent to Communicate. In Fine art, a work of art (or artwork or work) is a creation such as a Song, Book, Film, Video game, Microforms are any form either films or paper containing microreproductions of documents for transmission storage reading and printing A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio A gramophone The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a Magnetic tape sound Videotape is a means of recording images and sound onto Magnetic tape as opposed to movie film. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Libraries may also provide public facilities to access CD-ROMs, subscription databases, and the Internet. CD-ROM (an initialism of "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory " is a pre-pressed Compact Disc that contains data accessible to but not writable The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks

Thus, modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources. Information as a concept has a diversity of meanings from everyday usage to technical settings In addition to providing materials, they also provide the services of specialists, librarians, who are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting information needs. A librarian is an information Professional trained in Library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials

More recently, libraries are understood as extending beyond the physical walls of a building, by including material accessible by electronic means, and by providing the assistance of librarians in navigating and analyzing tremendous amounts of knowledge with a variety of digital tools.

The term "library" has itself acquired a secondary meaning: "a collection of useful material for common use," and in this sense is used in fields such as computer science, mathematics and statistics, electronics and biology. Computer science (or computing science) is the study and the Science of the theoretical foundations of Information and Computation and their Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and Statistics is a mathematical science pertaining to the collection analysis interpretation or explanation and presentation of Data. In electronic design library often refers to a collection of cells Macros or functional units that perform common operations and are used to build more complex In Molecular biology, a library is a collection of molecules in a stable form that represents some aspect of an organism

History

The first libraries were composed, for the most part, of unpublished records, a particular type of library called archives. A document (noun is a bounded physical representation of body of Information designed with the capacity (and usually intent to Communicate. An archive refers to a collection of historical records and also refers to the location in which these records are kept Archaeological findings from the ancient city-states of Sumer have revealed temple rooms full of clay tablets in cuneiform script. A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Small tablets made out of clay were used from 5500 BC Tărtăria tablets and later from 4th millennium BC onwards as a writing medium in Sumerian These archives were made up almost completely of the records of commercial transactions or inventories, with only a few documents touching theological matters, historical records or legends. Things were much the same in the government and temple records on papyrus of Ancient Egypt. Papyrus (/pəˈpaɪrəs/ (Rhymes -aɪrəs)is a thick paper-like material produced from the Pith of the papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now

The earliest discovered private archives were kept at Ugarit; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. Ugarit ( Ugaritic: ʼugrt; Hebrew:; Arabic:) (modern Ras Shamra رأس شمرة ("top/head/cape of the wild Fennel

Private or personal libraries made up of non-fiction and fiction books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in classical Greece. Non-fiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as Fact. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. In the context of the art architecture and culture of Ancient Greece, the classical period corresponds to most of the 5th and 4th centuries The first ones appeared some time near the 5th century BC. The celebrated book collectors of Hellenistic Antiquity were listed in the late second century in Deipnosophistae:^[1]

Polycrates of Samos and Pisistratus who was tyrant of Athens, and Euclides who was himself also an Athenian^[2] and Nicorrates of Samos and even the kings of Pergamos, and Euripides the poet and Aristotle the philosopher, and Nelius his librarian; from whom they say our countryman^[3] Ptolemæus, surnamed Philadelphus, bought them all, and transported them, with all those which he had collected at Athens and at Rhodes to his own beautiful Alexandria. The Deipnosophistae ( deipnon, "dinner" and sophistai, "professors" original Greek title, Deipnosophistai, English Polycrates (Πολυκράτης son of Aeaces, was the Tyrant of Samos from c Peisistratus (sometimes transliterated Peisistratos Psistratus, Peistratus, Pesistratusor or Pisistratus, Greek: Euripides ( Ancient Greek:) (ca 480 BC–406 BC was the last of the three great tragedians of classical Athens (the other two being Aeschylus Aristotle (Greek Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC was a Greek philosopher a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC ^[4]

All these libraries were Greek; the cultivated Hellenized diners in Deipnosophistae pass over the libraries of Rome in silence. At the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, apparently the villa of Caesar's father-in-law, the Greek library has been partly preserved in volcanic ash; archaeologists speculate that a Latin library, kept separate from the Greek one, may await discovery at the site. The Villa of the Papyri is a private house in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum (current commune of Ercolano) Herculaneum (in modern Italian Ercolano) is an ancient Roman town located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano.

Libraries were filled with parchment scrolls as at Pergamum and on papyrus scrolls as at Alexandria: export of prepared writing materials was a staple of commerce. Parchment is a thin material made from Calfskin, Sheepskin or goatskin. A scroll is a roll of Papyrus, Parchment, or Paper which has been written drawn or painted upon for the purpose of transmitting information or using as Papyrus (/pəˈpaɪrəs/ (Rhymes -aɪrəs)is a thick paper-like material produced from the Pith of the papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus There were a few institutional or royal libraries like the Library of Alexandria which were open to an educated public, but on the whole collections were private. The Royal Library of Alexandria or Ancient Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, was once the largest library in the ancient world In those rare cases where it was possible for a scholar to consult library books there seems to have been no direct access to the stacks. In all recorded cases the books were kept in a relatively small room where the staff went to get them for the readers, who had to consult them in an adjoining hall or covered walkway.

Little is known about early Chinese libraries, save what is written about the imperial library which began with the Qin Dynasty. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China One of the curators of the imperial library in the Han Dynasty is believed to have been the first to establish a library classification system and the first book notation system. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. At this time the library catalog was written on scrolls of fine silk and stored in silk bags. Silk is a natural Protein Fiber, some forms of which can be woven into Textiles The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons There is also evidence of those libraries at Nippur of about 1900 B. Nippur (URUENLIL; Sumerian: Nibru Akkadian: Nibbur) from the Sumerian for 'lord wind' (Enlil is modern ? in Afak Al Qadisyah C. and those at Nineveh of about 700 B. Nineveh ( Akkadian: Ninua; Aramaic: ܢܝܢܘܐ Hebrew נינוה Nīnewē; Arabic نينوى Naīnuwa) C. as showing a library classification system. Library classification forms part of the field of Library and information science. ^[5]

The Geisel Library at UCSD, with its unique architecture, is a San Diego landmark. This entry is about the library at the University of California San Diego The University of California San Diego (popularly known as UC San Diego or UCSD) is a public Research university in San Diego, California The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation Originally a landmark literally meant a Geographic Feature used by explorers and

In Persia many libraries were established by the Zoroastrian elite and the Persian Kings. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The following is a comprehensive list of kings of Persia, which includes all of the empires ruling over geographical Iran Among the first ones was a royal library in Isfahan. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān One of the most important public libraries established around 667 AD in south-western Iran was the Library of Gundishapur. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Academy of Gundishapur (in دانشگاه گنديشاپور Dânešgâh Gondišâpur was a renowned academy of learning in the city of Gundeshapur during Late antiquity It was a part of a bigger scientific complex located at the Academy of Gundishapur. The Academy of Gundishapur (in دانشگاه گنديشاپور Dânešgâh Gondišâpur was a renowned academy of learning in the city of Gundeshapur during Late antiquity

In the West, the first public libraries were established under the Roman Empire as each succeeding emperor strove to open one or many which outshone that of his predecessor. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Unlike the Greek libraries, readers had direct access to the scrolls, which were kept on shelves built into the walls of a large room. Reading or copying was normally done in the room itself. The surviving records give only a few instances of lending features. As a rule Roman public libraries were bilingual: they had a Latin room and a Greek room. Most of the large Roman baths were also cultural centers, built from the start with a library, with the usual two room arrangement for Greek and Latin texts. This page is on buildings used for Roman bathing For the activity in general see Ancient Roman bathing.

In the sixth century, at the very close of the Classical period, the great libraries of the Mediterranean world remained those of Constantinople and Alexandria. Cassiodorus, minister to Theodoric, established a monastery at Vivarium in the heel of Italy with a library where he attempted to bring Greek learning to Latin readers and preserve texts both sacred and secular for future generations. Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator (c 485 - c 585 commonly known as Cassiodorus, was a Roman statesman and great writer serving in the administration As its unofficial librarian, Cassiodorus not only collected as many manuscripts as he could, he also wrote treatises aimed at instructing his monks in the proper uses of reading and methods for copying texts accurately. In the end, however, the library at Vivarium was dispersed and lost within a century.

Elsewhere in the Early Middle Ages, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and before the rise of the large Western Christian monastery libraries beginning at Montecassino, libraries were found in scattered places in the Christian Middle East. The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 The Decline of the Roman Empire, leading to the Fall of the Roman Empire, or the Fall of Rome, was the end of the Western Roman Empire. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. For information about the World War II battle see the Battle of Monte Cassino. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Upon the rise of Islam, libraries in newly Islamic lands knew a brief period of expansion in the Middle East, North Africa, Sicily and Spain. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Like the Christian libraries, they mostly contained books which were made of paper, and took a codex or modern form instead of scrolls; they could be found in mosques, private homes, and universities. Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging A codex ( Latin for block of wood, Book; plural codices) is a book in the format used for modern books with separate pages normally In Aleppo, for example the largest and probably the oldest mosque library, the Sufiya, located at the city's Grand Umayyad Mosque, contained a large book collection of which 10 000 volumes were reportedly bequeathed by the city's most famous ruler, Prince Sayf al-Dawla. ^[6] Some mosques sponsored public libraries. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such Ibn al-Nadim's bibliography Fihrist demonstrates the devotion of medieval Muslim scholars to books and reliable sources; it contains a description of thousands of books circulating in the Islamic world circa 1000, including an entire section for books about the doctrines of other religions. Abu'l-Faraj Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Nadim ( Arabic: ابو الفرج محمد بن إسحاق النديم whose father was known as al-Warraq (Arabic الورّاق Unfortunately, modern Islamic libraries for the most part do not hold these antique books; many were lost, destroyed by Mongols, or removed to European libraries and museums during the colonial period. The Battle of Baghdad in 1258 was a victory for the Mongol leader Hulagu Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan. ^[7]

By the 8th century first Iranians and then Arabs had imported the craft of paper making from China, with a mill already at work in Baghdad in 794. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous By the 9th century completely public libraries started to appear in many Islamic cities. They were called "halls of Science" or dar al-'ilm. They were each endowed by Islamic sects with the purpose of representing their tenets as well as promoting the dissemination of secular knowledge. The 9th century Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil of Iraq, even ordered the construction of a ‘zawiyat qurra literally an enclosure for readers which was `lavishly furnished and equipped. ' In Shiraz Adhud al-Daula (d. 983CE) set up a library, described by the medieval historian, al-Muqaddasi, as`a complex of buildings surrounded by gardens with lakes and waterways. The buildings were topped with domes, and comprised an upper and a lower story with a total, according to the chief official, of 360 rooms. . . . In each department, catalogues were placed on a shelf. . . the rooms were furnished with carpets. . . '. ^[8] The libraries often employed translators and copyists in large numbers, in order to render into Arabic the bulk of the available Persian, Greek and Roman non-fiction and the classics of literature. This flowering of Islamic learning ceased after a few centuries as the Islamic world began to turn against experimentation and learning. After a few centuries many of these libraries were destroyed by Mongolian invasion. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Others were victim of wars and religious strife in the Islamic world. However, a few examples of these medieval libraries, such as the libraries of Chinguetti in West Africa, remain intact and relatively unchanged even today. Chinguetti (شنقيط is a ksar or medieval trading centre in northern Mauritania, lying on the Adrar Plateau east of Atar. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. Another ancient library from this period which is still operational and expanding is the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi in the Iranian city of Mashhad, which has been operating for more than six centuries. The Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi is a large library in Mashad, Iran. Mashhad ( literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia

The contents of these Islamic libraries were copied by Christian monks in Muslim/Christian border areas, particularly Spain and Sicily. From there they eventually made their way into other parts of Christian Europe. These copies joined works that had been preserved directly by Christian monks from Greek and Roman originals, as well as copies Western Christian monks made of Byzantine works. The resulting conglomerate libraries are the basis of every modern library today.

Medieval library design reflected the fact that these manuscripts--created via the labor-intensive process of hand copying--were valuable possessions. Library architecture developed in response to the need for security. Librarians often chained books to lecterns, armaria (wooden chests), or shelves, in well-lit rooms. A lectern (from the Latin lectus, past participle of legere, "to read" is a reading desk with a slanted top usually placed on a stand or affixed to Armaria are a kind of closed labeled cupboards that were used for book storage in ancient times up till the Middle ages. A bookcase, or bookshelf, is a piece of Furniture, almost always with horizontal shelves used to store Books History of the bookcase Despite this protectiveness, many libraries were willing to lend their books if provided with security deposits (usually money or a book of equal value). Monastic libraries lent and borrowed books from each other frequently and lending policy was often theologically grounded. For example, the Franciscan monasteries loaned books to each other without a security deposit since according to their vow of poverty only the entire order could own property. In 1212 the council of Paris condemned those monasteries that still forbade loaning books, reminding them that lending is "one of the chief works of mercy. " ^[9]

The early libraries located in monastic cloisters and associated with scriptoria were collections of lecterns with books chained to them. A cloister (from Latin claustrum) is a part of Cathedral, Monastic and Abbey architecture Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing" is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European Monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic Shelves built above and between back-to-back lecterns were the beginning of bookpresses. A bookpress is either a screw Press used in the binding or rebinding of Books an early form of Bookcase, used in medieval The chain was attached at the fore-edge of a book rather than to its spine. Book presses came to be arranged in carrels (perpendicular to the walls and therefore to the windows) in order to maximize lighting, with low bookcases in front of the windows. A carrel desk is a small desk (usually featuring high sides meant to visually isolate its user from any surroundings either partially or totally This stall system (fixed bookcases perpendicular to exterior walls pierced by closely spaced windows) was characteristic of English institutional libraries. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In Continental libraries, bookcases were arranged parallel to and against the walls. Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the Continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European This wall system was first introduced on a large scale in Spain's El Escorial. El Escorial is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery royal palace museum and school

A number of factors combined to create a "golden age of libraries" between 16 and 1700: The quantity of books had gone up, as the cost had gone down, there was a renewal in the interest of classical literature and culture, nationalism was encouraging nations to build great libraries, universities were playing a more prominent role in education, and renaissance thinkers and writers were producing great works. Some of the more important libraries include the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the Library of the British Museum, the Mazarine Library in Paris, and the National Central Library in Italy, the Prussian State Library, the German State Library, the M. The Bodleian Library ( the main Research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England E. Saltykov-Schedrin State Public Library of St. Petersburg, and many more. ^[10]

The earliest example in England of a library to be endowed for the benefit of users who were not members of an institution such as a cathedral or college was the Francis Trigge Chained Library in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1598. Francis Trigge Chained Library is a Library in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England which was founded in 1598 Grantham is a Market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. The library still exists and can justifiably claim to be the forerunner of later public library systems. The beginning of the modern, free, open access libraries really got its start in the U. K. in 1847. Congress appointed a committee, led by, William Ewart, on Public Libraries to consider the necessity of establishing libraries through the nation: In 1849 their report noted the poor condition of library service, it recommended the establishment of free public libraries all over the country, and it led to the Public Libraries Act in 1850, which allowed all cities with populations exceeding 10,000 to levy taxes for the support of public libraries. Another important act was the 1870 Public School Law, which increased literacy, thereby the demand for libraries, so by 1877, more than 75 cities had established free libraries, and by 1900 the number had reached 300. ^[11] This finally marks the start of the public library as we know it. And these acts led to similar laws in other countries, most notably the U. S.

1876 is a well known year in the history of librarianship. The American Library Association was formed, as well as The American Library Journal, Melvil Dewey published his decimal based system of classification, and the United States Bureau of Education published its report, "Public libraries in the United States of America; their history, condition, and management. The American Library Association ( ALA) is a group based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally Melvil Dewey (1851 &ndash 1931 was an American Librarian, Educator, and the Inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification system for Library " The American Library Association continues to play a major role in libraries to this day, and Dewey's classification system, although under heavy criticism of late, still remains as the prevailing method of classification used in the United States.

As the number of books in libraries increased, so did the need for compact storage and access with adequate lighting, giving birth to the stack system, which involved keeping a library's collection of books in a space separate from the reading room, an arrangement which arose in the 19th century. A library is a collection of information sources resources and services and the structure in which it is housed it is organized for use and maintained by a public body an institution Book stacks quickly evolved into a fairly standard form in which the cast iron and steel frameworks supporting the bookshelves also supported the floors, which often were built of translucent blocks to permit the passage of light (but were not transparent, for reasons of modesty). Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 With the introduction of electrical lighting, it had a huge impact on how the library operated. " Electric Light " is a song by Infernal, scheduled to be their next single after " Whenever You Need Me " off their album Electric The issue of lighting in libraries is one that is still discussed and debated today Also, the use of glass floors was largely discontinued, though floors were still often composed of metal grating to allow air to circulate in multi-story stacks. Ultimately, even more space was needed, and a method of moving shelves on tracks (compact shelving) was introduced to cut down on otherwise wasted aisle space.

Library 2.0, a term coined in 2005, is the library's response to the challenge of Google, and an attempt to meet the changing needs and wants of the users, using web 2.0 technology. Library 20 is a loosely defined model for a modernized form of Library service that reflects a transition within the library world in the way that services are delivered Web 20 is a term describing changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and Web design that aims to enhance Creativity, secure Some of the aspects of Library 2. 0 include, commenting, tagging, bookmarking, discussions, using social software, plug-ins, and widgets. ^[12] Inspired by web 2. 0, it is an attempt to make the library a more user driven institution.

Types of libraries

Smaller libraries can sometimes be found in private homes. A home is a place of Residence or Refuge. It is usually a place where an individual or a family can rest in and be able to store Personal property.

Libraries can be divided into categories by several methods:

• by the entity (institution, municipality, or corporate body) that supports or perpetuates them
  • school libraries
  • public libraries
  • private libraries
  • corporate libraries
  • government libraries
  • academic libraries
  • historical society libraries
• by the type of documents or materials they hold
  • digital libraries
  • data libraries
  • picture (photograph) libraries
  • slide libraries
  • tool libraries
• by the subject matter of documents they hold
  • architecture libraries
  • fine arts libraries
  • law libraries
  • medical libraries
  • theological libraries (See: Theological Libraries and Librarianship)
• by the users they serve
  • military communities
  • users who are blind or visually/physically handicapped (see National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped)
• by traditional professional divisions:
  • Academic libraries — These libraries are located on the campuses of colleges and universities and serve primarily the students and faculty of that and other academic institutions. A school library is a Library attached to and managed by a school to serve the students staff and often parents of a public (state or private (fee paying A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such A private library is a Library under the care of private ownership as compared to that of a public institution and is usually only established for the use of a small number An academic library is a Library which serves an institution of higher learning such as a College or a University — libraries in secondary and primary This is a partial List of Historical Societies from around the world A digital library is a Library in which collections are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print Microform, or other media and accessible by computers A data library refers to both the content and the services that foster use of collections of numeric audio-visual textual or geospatial data sets for secondary use in The following tool-lending libraries allow library patrons to borrow tools equipment and "how-to" instructional materials usually free of charge A law library is a Library designed to assist Law students Attorneys Judges and their Law clerks in finding the legal resources necessary A health or medical library is designed to assist physicians health professionals students patients consumers and medical researchers in finding health and scientific information to All the glory of the world would be buried in oblivion unless God had provided mortals with the remedy of books The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is a free Library program of Braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in An academic library is a Library which serves an institution of higher learning such as a College or a University — libraries in secondary and primary Some academic libraries, especially those at public institutions, are accessible to members of the general public in whole or in part.
  • School libraries — Most public and private primary and secondary schools have libraries designed to support the school's curriculum. A school library is a Library attached to and managed by a school to serve the students staff and often parents of a public (state or private (fee paying
  • Research libraries — These libraries are intended for supporting scholarly research, and therefore maintain permanent collections and attempt to provide access to all necessary material. A research library is a Library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects Research libraries are most often academic libraries or national libraries, but many large special libraries have research libraries within their special field and a very few of the largest public libraries also serve as research libraries. An academic library is a Library which serves an institution of higher learning such as a College or a University — libraries in secondary and primary A national library is a Library specifically established by the Government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country
  • Public libraries or public lending libraries — These libraries provide service to the general public and make at least some of their books available for borrowing, so that readers may use them at home over a period of days or weeks. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such Typically, libraries issue library cards to community members wishing to borrow books. A library is a collection of information sources resources and services and the structure in which it is housed it is organized for use and maintained by a public body an institution Many public libraries also serve as community organizations that provide free services and events to the public, such as reading groups and toddler story time.
  • Special libraries — All other libraries fall into this category. Many private businesses and public organizations, including hospitals, museums, research laboratories, law firms, and many government departments and agencies, maintain their own libraries for the use of their employees in doing specialized research related to their work. Special libraries may or may not be accessible to some identified part of the general public. Branches of a large academic or research libraries dealing with particular subjects are also usually called "special libraries": they are generally associated with one or more academic departments. Special libraries are distinguished from special collections, which are branches or parts of a library intended for rare books, manuscripts, and similar material. In Library science, special collections (often abbreviated to Spec [1]
• The final method of dividing library types is also the simplest. Many institutions make a distinction between circulating libraries (where materials are expected and intended to be loaned to patrons, institutions, or other libraries) and collecting libraries (where the materials are selected on a basis of their natures or subject matter). Many modern libraries are a mixture of both, as they contain a general collection for circulation, and a reference collection which is often more specialized, as well as restricted to the library premises.

Also, the governments of most major countries support national libraries. A national library is a Library specifically established by the Government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country Three noteworthy examples are the U. S. Library of Congress, Canada's Library and Archives Canada, and the British Library. The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress Library and Archives Canada (in French: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is a Canadian federal government department responsible for the collection The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. A typically broad sample of libraries in one state in the U. S. can be explored at Every Library In Illinois.

Organization

Libraries almost invariably contain long aisles with rows of books.

Libraries have materials arranged in a specified order according to a library classification system, so that items may be located quickly and collections may be browsed efficiently. Library classification forms part of the field of Library and information science. Some libraries have additional galleries beyond the public ones, where reference materials are stored. These reference stacks may be open to selected members of the public. Others require patrons to submit a "stack request," which is a request for an assistant to retrieve the material from the closed stacks.

Larger libraries are often broken down into departments staffed by both paraprofessionals and professional librarians. A librarian is an information Professional trained in Library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials

• Circulation handles user accounts and the loaning/returning and shelving of materials.
• Technical Services works behind the scenes cataloguing and processing new materials and deaccessioning weeded materials.
• Reference staffs a reference desk answering user questions (using structured reference interviews), instructing users, and developing library programming. The reference desk or information desk of a Library is a public service desk where professional Librarians provide library users with direction to library A reference interview is a structured conversation between a Librarian and a Library user usually at a reference desk, in which the librarian responds Reference may be further broken down by user groups or materials; common collections are children's literature, young adult literature, and genealogy materials. Children's literature is an age category of literature written for published for or marketed to Children roughly through age 12 Young-adult fiction (often abbreviated as YA fiction, or simply YA) is Fiction written for published for or marketed to adolescents roughly between the Genealogy (from Greek: el γενεά el-Latn genea, "descent" and el λόγος el-Latn logos, "knowledge" is the study of
• Collection Development orders materials and maintains materials budgets.

Library use

The Vietnam Center and Archive, which contains the largest collection of Vietnam War-related holdings outside the US government, catalogs much of its material on the Internet. Texas Tech University is a public, coeducational research university in Lubbock Texas. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Library patrons may not know how to use a library effectively. This can be due to lack of early exposure, shyness, or anxiety and fear of displaying ignorance. In United States public libraries, beginning in the 19th century these problems drove the emergence of the library instruction movement, which advocated library user education. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such Library instruction includes Instruction on both how to evaluate information resources and how to use Library resources such as the Library catalog or other One of the early leaders was John Cotton Dana. John Cotton Dana (b August 19 1856 in Woodstock Vermont — d The basic form of library instruction is generally known as information literacy. Several conceptions and definitions of information literacy have become prevalent

Libraries inform their users of what materials are available in their collections and how to access that information. Before the computer age, this was accomplished by the card catalog — a cabinet containing many drawers filled with index cards that identified books and other materials. A library catalog (or library catalogue) is a register of all bibliographic items found in a Library or group of libraries such as a network of libraries An index card is heavy Paper stock cut to a standard size Index cards are often used for recording individual items of information that can then be easily rearranged and filed In a large library, the card catalog often filled a large room. The emergence of the Internet, however, has led to the adoption of electronic catalog databases (often referred to as "webcats" or as OPACs, for "online public access catalog"), which allow users to search the library's holdings from any location with Internet access. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks An Online Public Access Catalog or OPAC (aka iPAC for Internet / Intranet Public Access Catalogue is a computerized online catalog This style of catalog maintenance is compatible with new types of libraries, such as digital libraries and distributed libraries, as well as older libraries that have been retrofitted. A digital library is a Library in which collections are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print Microform, or other media and accessible by computers A distributed library is a collection of materials available for borrowing by members of a group yet not maintained or owned by a single entity Electronic catalog databases are disfavored by some who believe that the old card catalog system was both easier to navigate and allowed retention of information, by writing directly on the cards, that is lost in the electronic systems. This argument is analogous to the debate over paper books and e-books. An e-book (for electronic book: also ebook) is the Digital media equivalent of a conventional printed Book. While they have been accused of precipitously throwing out valuable information in card catalogs, most modern libraries have nonetheless made the movement to electronic catalog databases. Large libraries may be scattered within multiple buildings across a town, each having multiple floors, with multiple rooms housing the resources across a series of shelves. Once a user has located a resource within the catalog, they must then utilise navigational guidance to retrieve the resource physically; a process that may be assisted through signage, maps, GPS systems or RFID tagging.

Finland has the highest number of registered book borrowers per capita in the world. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Over half of Finland's population are registered borrowers. ^[13] In the U. S. , public library users have borrowed roughly 15 books per user per year from 1856 to 1978. From 1978 to 2004, book circulation per user declined approximately 50%. The growth of audiovisuals circulation, estimated at 25% of total circulation in 2004, accounts for about half of this decline. ^[14]

Library management

Basic tasks in library management include the planning of acquisitions (which materials the library should acquire, by purchase or otherwise), library classification of acquired materials, preservation of materials (especially rare and fragile archival materials such as manuscripts), the deaccessioning of materials, patron borrowing of materials, and developing and administering library computer systems. Basic tasks in library management include planning the acquisition of materials classification of materials preservation of materials (especially Library classification forms part of the field of Library and information science. More long-term issues include the planning of the construction of new libraries or extensions to existing ones, and the development and implementation of outreach services and reading-enhancement services (such as adult literacy and children's programming).

See public library for funding issues for public libraries. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such

Famous libraries

See also: Great libraries of the ancient world

Library of Alençon (built c. The great libraries of the ancient world served as archives for empires sanctuaries for sacred writings and depositories of literature and chronicles 1800)

Some of the greatest libraries in the world are research libraries. The most famous ones include The Humanities and Social Sciences Library of the New York Public Library in New York City, the Russian National Library in St Petersburg, the British Library in London, Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.. The New York Public Library ( NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of America's most significant Research libraries. Education in New York City is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions The National Library of Russia in St Petersburg, known as the State Public Saltykov-Shchedrin Library in 1932-1992 (i Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D

• Egypt's Library of Alexandria (founded in 3rd century BC) and modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Royal Library of Alexandria or Ancient Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, was once the largest library in the ancient world The Bibliotheca Alexandrina ( Latin for "Library of Alexandria" is a major Library and Cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean
• Islamic Spain's library of Cordoba, founded in 9th century. Al-Andalus (الأندلس was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims or ||-||-||} Córdoba ( Cordova in English is a City in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba.
• Ambrosian Library in Milan opened to the public, December 8, 1609. The Biblioteca Ambrosiana is a historical Library in Milan, also housing the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana art gallery Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe.
• Library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh, founded between 669-631 BC. The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal, named after Ashurbanipal, the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, is a collection of thousands of Clay tablets Nineveh ( Akkadian: Ninua; Aramaic: ܢܝܢܘܐ Hebrew נינוה Nīnewē; Arabic نينوى Naīnuwa)
• Baghdad's House of Wisdom, founded in 8th century AD. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous The House of Wisdom ( Arabic: بيت الحكمة; Bait al-Hikma) was a library and translation institute in Abbassid -era Baghdad,
• Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF) in Paris, 1720. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city
• Boston Public Library in Boston, 1826. The Boston Public Library is the largest municipal public library in the United States.
• Bodleian Library at University of Oxford 1602, books collection begin around 1252. The Bodleian Library ( the main Research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the
• British Library in London created in 1973 by the British Library Act of 1972 (Originally part of the British Museum founded 1753). The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London.
• British Library of Political and Economic Science in London, 1896. The British Library of Political and Economic Science (also known as the BLPES or as the LSE Library) is the main Library of the London School London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.
• Butler Library at Columbia University, 1934
• Cambridge University Library at University of Cambridge, 1931. The Nicholas Murray Butler Library, commonly known simply as Butler Library, is the largest single library in the Columbia University Library System, which contains Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. The Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of the University of Cambridge in England. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, 1895. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is the Public library system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Carolina Rediviva at Uppsala University, 1841
• Tripoli's Dar il-'ilm, destroyed in 1109. Carolina Rediviva is the main building of the Uppsala University Library in Uppsala, Sweden. Uppsala University ( Swedish Uppsala universitet) is a world-class research University in Uppsala, Sweden. Tripoli ( Lebanese Arabic: طرابلس Ṭrāblos or Ṭrēblos locally Ṭrōbles Standard Arabic: Ṭarābulus Τρίπολις Tripolis is the second-largest
• Dutch Royal Library in The Hague, 1798
• Egypt's library of Cairo, founded in 10th century. The Koninklijke Bibliotheek ( Dutch name also known as KB) is the National library of The Netherlands, based in The Hague This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt.
• The European Library, 2004
• Firestone Library at Princeton University, 1948
• Fisher Library at the University of Sydney (largest in the Southern Hemisphere), 1908
• Franklin Public Library in Franklin, Massachusetts (the first public library in the U. The European Library is an Internet service that offers access to the resources of 47 European National libraries. Princeton University Library is the library of Princeton University. Princeton University is a private Coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. The University of Sydney (informally Sydney Uni or USyd) is the oldest university in Australia Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. S. ; original books donated by Benjamin Franklin in 1731)
• Free Library of Philadelphia in Philadelphia established February 18, 1891. The Free Library of Philadelphia is the Public library system serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
• Garrison Library in Gibraltar, 1793. The Garrison Library was founded in Gibraltar in 1793 by Colonel John Drinkwater Bethune and officially opened in 1804 by the Duke of Kent Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar
• Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, 1924, probably the largest single-building university library in the world. The Harold B Lee Library ( HBLL) located in Provo Utah, is the main Academic library of Brigham Young University, the largest religious
• Haskell Free Library and Opera House, which straddles the Canada-US border. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is a neoclassical building that straddles the international border in Rock Island (now part of Stanstead Quebec) and
• House of Commons Library, Westminster, London. The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Established 1818.
• ITU Mustafa Inan Library. Established 1795. The largest collection on technical (science and engineering) materials in Turkey.
• Jagiellonian Library at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, 1364. Jagiellonian Library (Biblioteka Jagiellońska popular nickname Jagiellonka) is the Library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and For several academies alternatively called "Krakow Academy" see Education in Kraków The Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland
• Jenkins Law Library in Philadelphia founded 1802. The Law Library Company of the City of Philadelphia was founded in 1802 by 71 attorneys among whom were the most prominent lawyers of the time Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə
• Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem, Israel, 1892. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.
• John Rylands Library in Manchester 1972. The John Rylands University Library (JRUL is the University of Manchester 's library and information service
• Leiden University Library at Leiden University in Leiden began at 1575 with confiscated monastery books. Leiden University Library ( Leiden, The Netherlands) is a library founded in 1575 in Leiden, the Netherlands. Leiden University (Universiteit Leiden located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest University in The Netherlands. "Leyden" redirects here For other uses see Leyden (disambiguation. Officially open in October 31, 1587.
• Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. 1800. The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D
• Library of Sir Thomas Browne, 1711
• Mitchell Library in Glasgow (Europe's largest public reference library)
• Multnomah County Library in Oregon, largest public library west of the Mississippi River, 1864. No single document gives better evidence of the Erudition of Sir Thomas Browne, physician philosopher and Encyclopedist than the 1711 Sales Auction Catalogue See Mitchell Library (Australia for that section of the State Library of New South Wales Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Multnomah County Library is a Public library system that serves the entire population of Multnomah County Oregon, United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to
• National Library of Belarus in Minsk, 2006. The National Library of Belarus (Нацыянальная бібліятэка Беларусі Национальная библиотека Белоруссии was founded on Minsk (Мінск mʲinsk Минск mʲinsk is the Capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers
• National Library of Australia in Canberra, Australia
• National Library of Iran, 1937. The National Library of Australia is the country's largest reference library responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The National Library of Iran is situated in Tehran, Iran, although several branches are scattered throughout the city
• National Library of Ireland in Dublin, 1877. The National Library of Ireland (Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann is a National library located in Dublin, Ireland, in a building designed by Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland.
• National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, 1925. The National Library of Scotland is the Legal deposit Library of Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow.
• National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, 1907. The National Library of Wales (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru is the national Legal deposit library of Wales, located in Aberystwyth. Aberystwyth (Mouth of the River Ystwyth ˌæbəˈrɪstwɪθ Dialect: abɛrˈəstɔʏθ is a historic Market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within
• New York Public Library in New York
• Osler Library of the History of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
• Powell Library at UCLA, part of the UCLA Library. The New York Public Library ( NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of America's most significant Research libraries. The City of New York The Osler Library is Canada's foremost scholarly resource in the History of medicine, and one of the most important libraries of its type in North Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Powell Library is the main college undergraduate library on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United The Library system of the University of California Los Angeles is among the top 10 academic research libraries in North America and has in its collection over eight million
• Regenstein Library at the University of Chicago, one of the largest repositories of books in the world. The Joseph Regenstein Library is the main Library of the University of Chicago, named after industrialist and philanthropist Joseph Regenstein. The University of Chicago is a Private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.
• Royal Library in Copenhagen, 1793. Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city
• Russian State Library in Moscow, 1862. Not to be confused with the Russian National Library, located in St Petersburg. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of
• Sassanid's ancient Library of Gondishapur around 489. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Academy of Gundishapur (in دانشگاه گنديشاپور Dânešgâh Gondišâpur was a renowned academy of learning in the city of Gundeshapur during Late antiquity
• Seattle Central Library
• Staatsbibliothek in Berlin
• State Library of New South Wales in Sydney
• State Library of Victoria in Melbourne
• Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University, 1931. The Seattle Central Library is the flagship library of the Seattle Public Library system The Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is a library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. The State Library of New South Wales (also known as the Mitchell Library) is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The State Library of Victoria is the central Library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Sterling Memorial Library is the largest library at Yale University, containing over 4 million volumes
• St. Marys Church, Reigate, Surrey houses the first public lending library in England. Opened 14 March 1701. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice.
• Trinity College Library, in Trinity College, Dublin, the largest library in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin ( TCD; Irish Coláiste na Tríonóide Baile Átha Cliath; Latin: Collegium Sacrosanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Trinity College Dublin ( TCD; Irish Coláiste na Tríonóide Baile Átha Cliath; Latin: Collegium Sacrosanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Since 1592.
• The St. Phillips Church Parsonage Provincial Library, established in 1698 in Charleston, South Carolina, was the first public lending library in the American Colonies. See also Benjamin Franklin's free public library in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə
• Vatican Library in Vatican City, 1448 (but existed before). The Vatican Library ( Latin: Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana) is the Library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory
• Widener Library at Harvard University (Harvard University Library including all branches has the largest academic collection overall. The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, commonly known as Widener Library, is the primary building of the Library system of Harvard University. The Harvard University Library system comprises about 90 libraries with more than 15 million volumes )

Some libraries devoted to a single subject:

• Chess libraries
• Esperanto libraries
• Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, the world's largest genealogy library. Chess libraries are Library collections of Books and Periodicals on the game of Chess. The following Esperanto libraries and collections of works in the Esperanto language are worthy of note The Montagu Butler Library of Esperanto materials The Family History Library (FHL is a genealogical research facility provided and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS or Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U

For more extensive lists, see

• List of libraries that are the subject of a Wikipedia article
• List of libraries
• List of national libraries

See also

References

External links

Directories of libraries

• UNESCO Libraries Portal - Over 14000 links worldwide
• LibLinks - Directory of library resource links organized by US states
• LibWeb - Directory of library servers via WWW
• lib-web-cats: A directory of over 34,000 worldwide libraries spanning 118 countries
• Libraries of the World and their Catalogues compiled by a retired librarian
• American Library Association's list of largest libraries
• National libraries of Europe The European Library
• Library History Database of the British Isles

Other resources

• Centre for the History of the Book
• Wikisource, The Free Library
• Libraries : Frequently Asked Questions
• Private Libraries in Ancient Rome
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
• Professional Library Associations from Jenkins Law Library
• A Library Primer, by John Cotton Dana, 1903, setting out the basics of organizing and running a library
• "The Infinite Library," Technology Review article on the Google Library Project. Google Inc is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online
• "How did public libraries get started?" from The Straight Dope
• Libraries @ the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Librariansworld.com @ the Librarians Networking Site
• "The Deserted Library: As Students Work Online, Reading Rooms Empty Out -- Leading Some Campuses to Add Starbucks from The Chronicle Of Higher Education
• "Thoughtful Design Keeps New Libraries Relevant" from The Chronicle of Higher Education