Page 40 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Unit 4: Types of Library

Some of the aspects of Library 2.0 include, commenting, tagging, bookmarking, discussions, use of Notes
online social networks by libraries, plug-ins, and widgets. Inspired by web 2.0, it is an attempt to
make the library a more user-driven institution.
Despite the importance of public libraries, they are routinely having their budgets cut by state
legislature. Funding has dwindled so badly that some smaller public libraries have been forced to
cut their hours and release employees.
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. 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. A
list of closed stack libraries is being aggregated on Wikipedia.
Larger libraries are often broken down into departments staffed by both paraprofessionals and
professional librarians.
• Circulation (or Access Services): Handles user accounts and the loaning/returning and
shelving of materials.
• Collection Development: Orders materials and maintains materials budgets.
• Reference: Staffs a reference desk answering user questions (using structured reference inter-
views), instructing users, and developing library programming. Reference may be further
broken down by user groups or materials; common collections are children’s literature, young
adult literature, and genealogy materials.
• Technical Services: Works behind the scenes cataloging and processing new materials and
deaccessioning weeded materials.
• Stacks Maintenance: Re-shelves materials that have been returned to the library after patron
use and shelves materials that have been processed by Technical Services. Stacks Mainte-
nance also shelf reads the material in the stacks to ensure that it is in the correct library classi-
fication order.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published several standards regarding
the management of libraries through its Technical Committee 46 (TC46), which is focused on
“libraries, documentation and information centers, publishing, archives, records management,
museum documentation, indexing and abstracting services, and information science”. The following
is a partial list of some of them:
• ISO 2789:2006 Information and documentation: International library statistics
• ISO 11620:1998 Information and documentation: Library performance indicators
• ISO 11799:2003 Information and documentation: Document storage requirements for archive
and library materials
• ISO 14416:2003 Information and documentation: Requirements for binding of books, peri-
odicals, serials and other paper documents for archive and library use — Methods and mate-
rials
• ISO/TR 20983:2003 Information and documentation: Performance indicators for electronic
library services

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