- LIBRARIES کتب خانے
A library is a collection of 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, or a
private individual. In the more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books.
It can mean the collection itself, the building or room that houses such a collection, or
both. The term "library" has itself acquired a secondary meaning: “a collection of useful
material for common use."
Thus, modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted
access to information in many formats and from many sources. They are extending
services beyond the physical walls of a building, by providing material accessible by
electronic means, and by providing the assistance of librarians in navigating and
analyzing tremendous amounts of information with a variety of digital tools.
Types of Libraries:
Libraries come in various types, each designed to serve specific purposes and cater to
different audiences. According to the mode of services rendered to the readers, libraries
are broadly divided into four types:
1. Academic Library: The academic library is a library that is designed and
created solely for the purpose of education. Academic Libraries can be further
divided into following types:
a. School Library: A school library is a place that provides students with a
variety of instructional media that is essential for supporting the students
through the most formative years of their lives.
b. College Library: College libraries essentially perform the same function
as a school library but house a much higher number of books and have a
lot more visitors than a school library does. This is because, in colleges,
there is a lot more interdisciplinary studying that needs to be done when
compared to school.
c. University Library: The relevance of having a library in a university is
increased manifold because of who is using it. A university library is
mostly used by senior academic staff and Ph.D. students who need vast
amounts of information from varying fields.
2. Special of Professional Library: Special libraries offer unique opportunities to
work in a specialized environment of interest, such as corporations, hospitals, the
military, museums, private businesses, and the government. Special libraries can
serve particular populations, such as the blind and physically handicapped.
3. Public Library: A public library also referred to as a circulating library, is a
library that can be accessed by anyone from the public. It is generally funded
through public tax money and sometimes even individual donations. Public
libraries are run by government-appointed librarians and other related civil
servants. It allows people of all ages to borrow books from them at a very low
cost - all that is required is a membership to the library.
4. National Library: A national library is one that is established by the government
of a country to serve as the primary repository of knowledge for the nation.
Unlike public libraries, national libraries hardly ever allow citizens to borrow
books. This is because they often include rare, valuable, or significant works
that require extra preservation, such as the original works of a legendary writer
or artist. A National Library has the responsibility of collecting and preserving
the literature of the nation both within as well as outside the country. Therefore,
a national library is a library whose community is the nation itself.