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Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes 1.1 Definition of Library Science

Library science is basically the study of how to operate a library. The field is made up of several
branches, including public services, technical services and administration. It is referred to as
“library and information science” at many colleges and universities because librarians work
with physical books as well as virtual information. Library science (often termed library studies
or library and information science) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies
the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and
other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of
information resources; and the political economy of information. The first American school for
library science was founded by Melvil Dewey at Columbia University in 1887.
ALA glossary of Library and Information Science has defined library as “a collection of materials
organized to provide physical, bibliographical and intellectual access to a target group, with a staff that is
trained to provide services and programmes related to the information needs of the target groups.”
According to Dr. S. R. Ranganathan, the father of library science in India, “a library is a public
institution or establishment charged with the care of collection of books, the duty of making them accessible
to those who require the use of them and the task of converting every person in its neighbourhood into a
habitual library goers and reader of books.”
The word “Library Collection” is synonymous with holdings. It is the total accumulation of
books and other materials owned by a library, organized and catalogued for ease of access by its
users. Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Science describes library collection as “the sum
total of library material – books, manuscripts, serial, government documents, pamphlets, catalogues, report,
recording, microfilms reels, micro cards and microfiche, punched cards, computer tapes etc. that make up
the holding of a particular type of library.”
Historically, library science has also included archival science. This includes how information
resources are organized to serve the needs of select user group, how people interact with
classification systems and technology, how information is acquired, evaluated and applied by
people in and outside of libraries as well as cross-culturally, how people are trained and educated
for careers in libraries, the ethics that guide library service and organization, the legal status of
libraries and information resources, and the applied science of computer technology used in
documentation and records management.
There is no generally agreed-upon distinction between the terms “library science”,
“librarianship”, and “library and information science”, and to a certain extent they are
interchangeable, perhaps differing most significantly in connotation. The term “Library and
Information Science (LIS)” is most often used; most librarians consider it as only a terminological
variation, intended to emphasize the scientific and technical foundations of the subject and its
relationship with information science. LIS should not be confused with information theory, the
mathematical study of the concept of information. LIS can also be seen as an integration of the
two fields’ library science and information science, which were separate at one point.

Notes Library philosophy has been contrasted with library science as the study of the
aims and justifications of librarianship as opposed to the development and refinement of
techniques.
Libraries are collections of books and other media. Sometimes, these books can be found inside
of a building, such as your city or town’s public library. Readers can check out, or borrow these
books and return them by their due dates. Sometimes, the books can be found and read online
through digital libraries, which let readers enjoy the information from home. In fact, the

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