Introduction - Different kinds of libraries ·
Personal, public and institutional - importance of library - Conclusion.
The
root-meaning of the word library is a room or building containing a collection
of books for reading. But as there are now circulating or traveling libraries
in many countries, the world has undergone a change in its meaning. By the word
now indicated a collection of books for reading or reference;
There
are kinds of libraries personal, public and institutional.
A
personal library is one which belongs to a private person, generally of
sufficient means. Such libraries grow out of such person’s taste for knowledge
and, sometimes, for fashion. There are, of course, small scale private
libraries owned by solvent lawyers, educationists and persons of literary
taste. But such libraries contain books on some particular subject or subjects
chosen according to the taste and interest of their owners.
A
public library is one which is open to the public. In order to cater to the
taste and interest of all classes of people, a public library has to contain
books on different subjects and varieties. Such libraries may be seen in large
numbers in every country. Most of these libraries are managed or subsidized by
their states. The British Museum library of London and the Central library of
Moscow are instances of public libraries. Again, many such libraries have been
set up in England and America by philanthropic people like Mr. Carnegie, the
American millionaire.
An
institutional library is one which belongs to an institution such as a
university, a college, a school, a chamber of commerce, a club or a
governmental department. Such a library is open to the members of the
institution concerned and, therefore, generally contains hooks which are needed
by them most.
As
acquisition of knowledge depends mostly on reading, man has to read as
necessarily as he has to eat. It adds to what he has already learnt and makes
him strong and fit for rude battle of life. But for financial difficulties most
of the persons who are keen on reading cannot purchase the books they need to
read. Hence arises the importance of libraries. Had there been no libraries,
both public and institutional, such persons would have been deprived of their
reading. The teachers and the students, in like manner, would be badly affected
if their institutions had no libraries of their own.
Libraries
attract people to read and thus create the habit of reading and- stimulate the
thirst for more and more knowledge. But for the libraries, there would be no authors,
no poets, and no thinkers. The libraries thus help in the advancement of
learning and expansion of knowledge.
The
library has another very important use. No research work is possible without a
well equipped library containing valuable books of all ages, rare manuscripts
and old records. A library of this type is thus of incalculable help in
throwing light on unearthed subjects. Time passes in an unbroken continuity as
does the water of the river. The books of the libraries are a record of this continuity.
They thus enable us to know how human society has developed in thought and
action step by step.
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