Types of Libraries

Sittie Soraya L.
Ringia
Dr. Leilannie Pangcatan
LIS 101- Ff
February 9, 2021
Exercise No. 3
Types of Libraries (Academic, Public, National & Special Library)
Library is the store-house of knowledge for posterior use. Human knowledge can
be recorded and preserved in different media. Some years back, documents written or
printed in paper were considered as the best medium. But with the development of
science and technology today electronic multimedia have been widely used for
preservation of knowledge in the libraries of any kind whether it may be public,
academic, national or special library. Since the beginning of civilization human beings
have been putting emphasis on storing of information in different ways. However, it
must be admitted that libraries in ancient times were not like those of the present days.
Libraries are dynamic and grow along with human civilization. The urge of social,
economic, intellectual and cultural improvement necessitates the development of
different kinds of libraries.
Since knowledge and information are so vital for all round development, libraries
that handle and manage knowledge and information are invaluable indeed. The present
knowledge society has been, as understood, characterized by the competition, the
supply and demand for knowledge to meet the varied and complex needs of the
individuals, which are expected from the library. Dissemination of right information to the
right reader /user at the right time is the dictum of all the library and information centers.
In short library is an agency for dissemination of information. The basic function of
library is education. The purpose of a library in modern society is to educate the
community in a wider sense. Libraries play a very important role in the educational
process of formal and non-formal learning, in research and development, in cultural
activities, in spiritual and ideological realms, in recreation and entertainment etc. With
the spectacular advances in information technology and increasing categories of users
and their information needs in different situations, modern society is heading towards an
information society in which the central instrument of change, force and direction of
change are knowledge and information.
Types of Library:
According to the mode of services rendered to the readers; libraries are broadly divided
into four types:
1.Academic Library
A. School Library
B. College Library
C. University Library
2. Special Library
3. Public Library and
4. National Library
Academic Library
Academic library is the library which is attached to academic institutions like schools,
colleges and universities. An academic library serves more specifically the students,
research scholars, teachers and staff of the academic institution. Main objective of an
academic library is to give maximum learning materials to its clientele so that they may
be fully educated in their respective level. Academic libraries are categorized into school
libraries, college libraries and university libraries.
A. School Library. A school library is a learning laboratory, providing a variety of

instructional media, essential for optimum support of the education program. The
purpose of the school library is to attain the objectives of the educational
program. It concerns with the development of effective methods of thinking,
inculcation of social attitudes, acquisition of important information and promoting
growth and development among the children. The function of the school library is
to help the students in the process of their self-discovery, to adopt high ideals in
life, improve scholastic efficiency through self-study and to develop the capacity
for critical thinking.
B. College Library: College performs an important function in educational process. A

college without a library is like a tree with no roots. The status of every college is
measured through the position of the library that it maintains. Hence every college
library should become a teaching instrument in itself. A college library is expected to
support the objectives of the college. Thus, the basic function of a college library is to
assist its parent body to carry out its programs.
C. University Library: A library is more important in a University, because a library

can do without a University where as a university cannot function without a library. A
university library is an integral part of the institution. It is primarily maintained for the
benefit of students, officers, faculty members and for those who are engaged in
research work. It plays a very important role in the national life of the community by
acquiring material for educational use for the benefit of students and teaching
departments.
Special Library
Special library became popular since the beginning of 20th century. A special
library is one which serves a particular group of people, such as the employees of a firm
of government department, or the staff and members of a professional or research
organization. Such a library deals essentially in information (Krishan Kumar; 1987; 72)
Public Library
A public library (also called circulating library) is a library which is accessible by
the public and is generally funded from public sources (such as tax money) and may be
operated by the civil servants. Taxing bodies for public libraries may be at any level
from local to national central government level. The public library is an excellent model
of government at its best. A locally controlled public good, it serves every individual
freely, in as much or as little depth as he or she wants. (Wikipedia)
National Library
A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a
country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike
public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include
numerous rare, valuable, or significant works. A National Library is that library which
has the duty of collecting and preserving the literature of the nation within and outside
the country, Thus, National Library are those libraries whose community is the nation at
large.
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Sittie Soraya L.

A. School Library. A school library is a learning laboratory, providing a variety of

B. College Library: College performs an important function in educational process. A

C. University Library: A library is more important in a University, because a library

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