Library

A library is a place or institution that collects, preserves, and makes available to users books, newspapers, maps, recordings, and digital materials. A library is not merely a building where books are stored; it maintains systems for selecting materials, cataloging them, organizing them, and providing access to users.

Most libraries operate on the basis of lending: a registered person may borrow materials for a set period and then return them. Others, such as research libraries and rare book collections, restrict their materials to on-site use only in order to preserve them.

Brief history

Record storage began in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, where clay tablets and papyrus were kept. In the medieval Islamic period, cities such as Baghdad, Córdoba, and Cairo had translation centers and manuscript repositories. A major change came with movable-type printing (Europe, 15th century), which made books much more widely available.

Types of libraries

There are public libraries funded by local or national government and open to all; academic libraries serving students and scholars; school libraries; special libraries owned by corporations, hospitals, or institutions; and national libraries, which typically hold copies of all publications in a country.

Organization and cataloging

To locate materials, libraries use classification systems organized by subject—for example, Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress. Each book receives descriptive information: title, author, date, subject, and shelf number. Today this information is held in computerized online systems.

Digital transformation

Since the late 20th century, libraries have adopted electronic storage: online journals, e-books, and digital repositories. Some libraries provide training in information literacy and internet access. This transformation has raised questions about copyright and the cost of journal licenses.