Meaning and Scope of a Library PDF

# MEANING AND SCOPE OF A LIBRARY The word 'Library' is derived from the Latin word “libraria" meaning 'a book place'. It originates from the term 'liber' which means 'a book'. A library can be defined as any place or space where information are gathered, processed, stored and disseminated in book a...

# MEANING AND SCOPE OF A LIBRARY The word 'Library' is derived from the Latin word “libraria" meaning 'a book place'. It originates from the term 'liber' which means 'a book'. A library can be defined as any place or space where information are gathered, processed, stored and disseminated in book and non-book form and provided to users by a qualified librarian. A library can be a stand-alone unit in an organization or a subset/arm of another unit. The main function of a library is to provide information resources and information services to its users. A library is a place where people can borrow books and other materials. The library's clientele and general services offered vary depending on its type: users of a public library have different needs from those of a special library or academic library, for example. Libraries may also be community hubs, where programmes are made available and people engage in lifelong learning. Modern libraries extend their services beyond the physical walls of the building by providing material accessible by electronic means, including from home via the Internet. The services that libraries offer are variously described as library services, information services, or the combination "library and information services", although different institutions and sources define such terminology differently. A library is a collection of books, and possibly other materials and media that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or digital (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location, a virtual space, or both. A library's collection normally includes printed materials which may be borrowed, and usually also includes a reference section of publications which may only be utilized inside the premises. Resources such as commercial releases of films, television programmes, other video recordings, radio, music and audio recordings may be available in many formats. These include DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Cassettes, or other applicable formats such as Microform. They may also provide access to information, music or other content held on bibliographic databases. Libraries can vary widely in size and may be organised and maintained by a public body such as a government, an institution (such as a school or museum), a corporation, or a private individual. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are trained experts in finding, selecting, circulating and organising information while interpreting information needs and navigating and analysing large amounts of information with a variety of resources. Library buildings often provide quiet areas for studying, as well as common areas for group study and collaboration, and may provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources, such as computers and access to the Internet. Dr. S. R. Ranganathan, a pioneer in library science in India, defines a library as a public place that collects and takes care of books, and makes them available to people who need them. A library is a place where people can find books, magazines, journals, and other kinds of information. They often have reference books, like encyclopaedias and indexes that help people find information. They also have creative works, such as poems, novels, music, and photographs. In addition, libraries have nonfiction books, like biographies and histories, and periodical publications, such as magazines and journals. As people have started using CDs, DVDs, and other media at home, libraries have begun to include these as well. Libraries were among the first to use information technology. For many years, libraries have worked together with other libraries. They have shared information about what each library has in its collection. This shared information has helped libraries borrow and lend materials to each other. Librarians have also become experts at finding information online and on CDs. As people have started to value information more, the information industry has grown. This industry includes publishers, software developers, online information services, and other businesses that sell information products. This industry provides both opportunities and challenges for libraries. On the one hand, as more information becomes available online, libraries no longer need to own articles or statistics to get them for users. On the other hand, the information industry is offering alternatives to libraries. Students can now use their computers to go online and find, order, and receive articles without even going to a library. The availability of electronic information has led libraries to work closely with computer centres. Some places have separate centres for electronic and print information, while others have librarians responsible for both. As technology has improved, people expect more from libraries. Libraries have responded by creating better online catalogues and providing faster information. They also offer services like Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), where librarians send users information before they ask for it. The role of librarians has changed. They now teach users how to find information online and in libraries. Public librarians provide local community information through computers. Some librarians are experts in computers, while others focus on preserving cultural records and ensuring that old information can still be used. Librarians are also working outside of libraries in fields like information technology, marketing, and law. Even though libraries have changed a lot, their cultural role has stayed the same. They continue to provide access to books, magazines, and other media that people need. They keep records of a civilization's history, law, business, and religion. They are places where children can learn and scholars can do research. A library's collection is systematically organized. The collection is consciously and purposefully acquired to meet the needs of user which is stored and preserved within the library because the library is a growing organism. There are different kinds of library and each library has specific users who can make use of it. Examples of libraries include public library, school library, academic library, national library and special library. # ATTRIBUTES OF A LIBRARY Many people in Nigeria abuse the use of the term, 'library'. Often, one notices that rooms or personal offices in Nigerian schools or other public organisations are labelled 'libraries' simply because a few books or serials, no matter how old, and irrespective of whether or not they are needed by anybody within the school or organization, are kept there. What a layman in our society calls library is no library but mere collection of books often acquired with no specific policy and administered in a manner in contradiction of the purpose of the collection. Furthermore, once a collection is administered by a person. Who, no matter his qualifications and position in society, has no formal education and training in librarianship, it cannot be regarded as a library. Such a person has neither the competence to acquire and organise library collections nor the competence to provide readers services. The following, therefore, are the attributes of a library: 1. There must be a convenient space or accommodation set aside for no other purpose but library operations; 2. There must be a dynamic collection of books and other ephemeral materials in the library space; 3. The materials must be systematically organized in a useful order, stored and preserved for posterity 4. Only a person who has undergone formal education and training in librarianship (librarian, library officer, teacher-librarian) must be in charge of the library, and 5. People must be allowed to use the library at specified time. In other words, there must be library users. # PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS OF A LIBRARY The main function of a library is to provide information resources and information services to its users. The main purpose of creating a library is to make human thoughts, ideas, and expressions accessible to everyone. The functions of a library can be divided into five main categories: 1. **Education:** Education helps people to grow and develop. Libraries are educational centers that should support all types of education by having a good selection of books and other materials available to everyone in the community. The books available for use in the library must support the educational needs of its users. The library provides materials and other information resources that can develop the ideas of people and reducing the level of ignorance among people as well as meet the educational needs of members in the society. The library provides information resources and information services to meet the needs of members in the society which could be for personal life, research, education or official business. The library supports formal education among members of the society, encourages the culture of reading and writing. 2. **Information:** The library is an agent of general sensitization and societal enlightenment. The library contains information resources needed for general awareness of members in a society. Users of the library can use the information resources in the library for personal development and to get the wave of things happening around them. 3. **Research function:** Users who wish to embark on researches and other projects can come into the library to get information materials that can be used to support their projects. The research function hangs more on academic and research libraries where students and professionals come to get information resources for their academic, personal and grant awarding projects. 4. **Recreational function:** Library generally provides light hearted materials like fiction books, magazines, newspapers, CD rentage among other things for the mental, recreational and psychological therapy of users. Many people visit the library to read about their best stars in soccer and other sports. Other functions of a library include: 5. **Preservation of natural heritage:** The library is a warehouse of information that preserves the ideas, beliefs and arts, moral, law, perception among other things of the society and primitive people. These cultural items and documents are acquired and preserved in the library for posterity. 6. **To assist individuals in developing their intellectual and creative abilities by offering a variety of resources, including books and other materials.** 7. **To encourage and advance the growth of knowledge, learning, and cultural understanding.** 8. **To offer opportunities for continuous learning, both formal and informal, to everyone in the community.** 9. **To safeguard the world's literary and cultural legacy for future generations as a means of cultural expression and research.** 10. **To offer accurate and accessible information to everyone, regardless of their background or identity.** # ROLES OF LIBRARY IN THE 21ST CENTURY 1. **Training the trainees:** This is the function of the library in training library users on how to use the library effectively in the 21st century. It also extends to training librarians on better and advanced ways of servicing users in the 21st century. 2. **Information literacy skill:** This role is dedicated at teaching users on how to access information scattered on the World Wide Web (WWW) internet. It entertain teaching users to be information literate starting from their information need conception, sourcing for the information online, locating and retrieving the information needed, detecting the ethical consideration of the information and communication of feedback. 3. **The intellectual reservoir for the society:** This role makes the library the last point of access for the nation because it is believed that the library houses information materials and have staffs who gathers current information about what is going in the society. 4. **Resource person/centre for the use of artificial intelligence in organisations and libraries:** The library function as a centre that prescribes the best artificial intelligence tool to be adopted and it helps in the teaching and training of individuals that will handle it. It helps to suggest the tool that will be used in an organisation and provides who should handle the artificial intelligence tool. 5. **Information retrieval skill:** The libraries in this information age are saddled with the responsibility of teaching users on the best way of retrieving information that are scattered on the internet. They do it by teaching users on the information retrieval skills necessary/required by them. They also teach users on the best search term to use while searching the internet and the best crawler term to use. 6. **It helps to build institutionary repository:** The library helps institutions to push their frontiers beyond the limit of their institution. The library helps to educate the institution on how they can have a database on research work written by people in the institution that have published by them. 7. **Consortium building:** The library involve in consortium building. This is a way of ensuring that they service their users better. It is believed that a single library cannot adequately service its users because of its financial implication and the constant changing information need of the users. Therefore, many universities can come together in agreement to help themselves where they are weak so that they can service their users better. Libraries through consortium come together to leverage on their strengths and weakness in order to service users. Consortium building helps libraries who come together to bear the cost of purchase, engage in staff training and share common storage facilities/resources. # TYPES OF LIBRARIES Libraries, serving as vital repositories of knowledge and information, have been integral to human civilization for centuries. Catering to diverse needs, they support individuals from various backgrounds. This book offers a comprehensive overview of different library types, exploring their definitions, functions, and societal contributions. The types of libraries include. ## 1. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: Academic libraries, often considered the heart of educational institutions, are invaluable resources for students, faculty, and researchers. These specialized institutions offer a wide range of materials, services, and spaces designed to support learning, teaching, and scholarly inquiry. Central to academic libraries are their extensive collections of books, journals, periodicals, and other print materials. These resources span various disciplines, allowing students and faculty to explore diverse perspectives, conduct research, and deepen their understanding of different subjects. Beyond print materials, academic libraries offer a wealth of digital resources, including online databases, e-journals, e-books, and multimedia content. These digital resources have transformed the way students and faculty access information, providing convenient and efficient access to a vast amount of knowledge. In addition to their collections, academic libraries provide a range of services to support the academic community. Academic libraries play a crucial role in creating a conducive learning environment. They provide study spaces, group study rooms, and quiet reading areas, enabling students and faculty to concentrate and collaborate. Some libraries even have specialized facilities like art studios or