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Jovita Kaur, Lovely Professional University Unit 9: National Libraries

Unit 9: National Libraries Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction

9.1 Concept of a National Library
9.1.1 Definition of National Library
9.1.2 Purpose of National Library

9.1.3 Emergence of the National Library
9.1.4 Types of National Libraries
9.2 Functions of National Library
9.3 Descriptive Account of a Few National Libraries
9.3.1 National Library of India

9.3.2 Library of Congress (LC)
9.3.3 British Library
9.4 Summary

9.5 Keywords
9.6 Review Questions
9.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

Explain the concept of a National Library
Discuss the functions of National Library
Describe the descriptive Account of a Few National Libraries

Introduction

In the previous unit, we dealt with the definition, purpose, features and functions of the Special
Libraries. The concept of national libraries is a recent development dating back to a few centuries.
This development has been a feature of socio-economic, culture and scientific advancements in
the western industrially advanced countries. Although national libraries in some form existed
in many countries in the past, the origin and growth of national libraries as we understand them
today have been an outcome of the Renaissance and Reformation movements in Europe. Their
growth has been accelerated by advances in science and technology and their applications in
industry, trade, transportation and communication. National libraries have grown and developed
in recent decades in different dimensions, indicating the need for specialised national libraries
on the basis of subjects (i.e., Medicine), functions (i.e. Lending), user groups (i.e., Blind), and
materials (Newspapers). While almost every country has a national library, today, we have
taken as case studies the National Library of India, the Library of Congress and the British
Library; all these great national libraries have some common aspects. While each one of them

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