Page 46 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Unit 4: Types of Library

• users who are blind or visually/physically handicapped (see National Library Service for the Notes
Blind and Physically Handicapped)
• prisons
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. Some
academic libraries, especially those at public institutions, are accessible to members of the
general public in whole or in part.
• 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. Typically, libraries issue library cards to community
members wishing to borrow books. 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.
• Research libraries: these libraries are intended for supporting scholarly research, and therefore
maintain permanent collections and attempt to provide access to all necessary material.
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.
• School libraries: Most public and private primary and secondary schools have libraries
designed to support the school’s curriculum.
• 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.
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.

Self Assessment
Fill in the blanks:
1. Francis trigge chained library in Grantham, Lincolnshire was established in the year ...... .

2. American Library Association was formed in the year ...... .
3. ..... is the largest academic libraries in North America by number of volumes as of
2008–2009.
4. ...... is a library that is attached to academic institutions, above the secondary level. Serving
the teaching and research needs of students and staffs.
5. The number of volumes of Harvard University as of 2008–2009 was ........ .

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 41