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Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes which implies their recognition of a common interest. Dr. S. R. Ranganathan, a renowned
Library Scientist prefers to call it as specialist Library to supply detailed information regarding
some subject field – scientific, technical and otherwise.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics describes Special Librarians:
“Special librarians work in settings other than school or public libraries. They are sometimes called information
professionals. Law firms, hospitals, businesses, museums, government agencies, and many other groups
have their own libraries with special librarians. The main purpose of these libraries and information centres
is to serve the information needs of the organization that houses the library.”

Example:
1. Government librarians provide research services and access to information for
government staff and the public.

2. Law librarians help lawyers, law students, judges, and law clerks locate and organize
legal resources.
3. Medical librarians help health professionals, patients, and researchers find health
and science information. They may provide information about new clinical trials
and medical treatments and procedures, teach medical students how to locate medical
information, or answer consumers’ health questions.
Special libraries have been defined by Mount and Massoud as “those information organizations
sponsored by private companies, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, or professional
associations.” The Special Libraries Special Interest Working Group (SIWG) states that “Special
Libraries cater to specific professional or academic groups whose information needs are defined by a particular
subject or activity.”
In other words, special library collects updated and comprehensive information on the subject
concerned with the parent organization and disseminate this information promptly to the people
associated with the organization on demand and in anticipation.

8.1.2 History of Special Library

Special libraries first began to appear in the United States (US) in the early decades of the 20th
century. They were a new form of library, quite different from other types of libraries in their
functions and purpose and in their new methods of collecting and organising material. In the
later decades of the century, organisations increased in number, size and complexity, as business
and industry began to grow rapidly. A large number of government organisations also sprang
up to meet various activities of the government and libraries began to grow in all these
organisations. World War I and II accelerated the process of industrial development backed by
scientific and technological research. Research and development became increasingly
institutionalised. This trend naturally led to the growth of special library collections and new
services.
The growth of special libraries in Europe as well as in many of the developing countries also
was modelled on the patterns of US special library movement. As nations continued to
industrialise and increased their research, efforts, special libraries were established in research
organisations and in other agencies. Growth and development of special libraries in India also
has been on the model of the Western Countries.
In their current status as a type of library independent from public, academic, and archival
libraries, special libraries are a recent phenomenon, although it is difficult to determine when

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