DISSERTATION

LIBRARY

SUBMITTED BY: (MUSADIQ ZAHOOR)

(ROLL NO.- 1532781058)

GUIDE BY: Prof. R.K.Jhingan

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE

DEGREE OF
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

SUNDERDEEP COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

(DASNA, GHAZIABAD, UTTAR PRADESH)

1
 Sunderdeep College of Architecture

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Dissertation titled “library” submitted by “MUSADIQ

ZAHOOR” as a part of 5 years Undergraduate Program in Architecture at
SUNDERDEEP COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE is a record of bonafide work
carried out by under our guidance.
The content included in the Dissertation has not been submitted
to any other University or institution for accord of any other
degree or diploma.

Prof. R.K.Jhingan Ar. Rakesh sapra

(Dissertation guide) (Director)

2
 Sunderdeep College of Architecture

DECLARATION
I MUSADIQ ZAHOOR hereby declares that the dissertation entitled
“LIBRARY” submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the award of the degree of B.Arch is my original research work and that
the information taken from secondary sources is given due citations and
references.

MUSADIQ ZAHOOR

532781058
8th SEM
B.ARCH
2018-19

3
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to acknowledge all those who have helped

me in getting this study to a successful present status.
I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to my guide,
Prof. R.K. Jhingan for His valuable suggestions and criticism.
He made this possible.

I extend my sincere thanks to my parents; they accompanied me

to all my sites for the study and survey. All my batch mates for
extending help and support, SDCA and all the other authorities
which helped me in this study.
I dedicate this work to my parents, friends, faculty etc.
Once again I take this opportunity to thank all those who have
directly or indirectly helped me and sincere apologies if I have
forgotten to mention any one in particular.

4
 CONTENTS

SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER 1: THE MEANING, NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

LIBRARY

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 THE ISSUES
1.3 TOWARDS A RE-DEFINITION
1.4 NOW A RE-DEFINITION ATTEMPTED
1.5 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LIBRARY

CHAPTER 2: FEATURES AND TYPES INVOLVED IN LIBRARY

2.1 LIBRARY BUILDINGS

2.2 A BRIEF ON LIBRARY HISTORY

2.3 SOME FAMOUS LIBRARY IN HISTORY

2.4 THE LIBRARY SYSTEM

2.5 DIFFERENT TYPERS OF LIBRARY

2.6 LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

CHAPTER 3: LIBRARY STANDARDS

CHAPTER 4: CASE STUDIES

5
SYNOPSIS

INTRODUCTION

A library is a collection of sources of information and similar resources, made

accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing. It provides physical or
digital access to material, and may be a physical building or room, or a virtual space,
or both. A library's collection can include A library's collection can include books,
periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films, maps, prints, documents, microform,
CDs, cassettes, videotapes, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, e-books, audiobooks, databases,
and other formats and other formats.

The first libraries consisted of archives of the earliest form of writing—the clay tablets
in cuneiform script discovered in Sumer, some dating back to 2600 BC. Private or
personal libraries made up of written books appeared in classical Greece in the 5th
century BC. In the 6th century, at the very close of the Classical period, the great
libraries of the Mediterranean world remained those of Constantinople and
Alexandria.

A library is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, a

corporation, or a private individual. Public and institutional collections and services
may be intended for use by people who choose not to—or cannot afford to—
purchase an extensive collection themselves, who need material no individual can
reasonably be expected to have, or who require professional assistance with their
research. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of
librarians who are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting
information needs. Libraries often provide quiet areas for studying, and they also
often offer common areas to facilitate group study and collaboration. Libraries often
provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources and the Internet.

Modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted

access to information in many formats and from
6 many sources. They are extending
services beyond the physical walls of a building, by providing material accessible by
electronic means, and by providing the assistance of librarians in navigating and
analysing very large amounts of information with a variety of digital resources.

AIM
To understand the role of a public library not only as a storage of books but also in
terms of individual development

OBJECTIVE

 To study the variety of users/readers coming to a public library in terms of the

age, background etc.
 To understand allied functions of public library as a cultural hub.
 To understand social role and social relevance of a public library.
 To formulate a design solution or regeneration of a public library such that it
provides basic literacy and social development goals and at the same time
become a centre of exploration and innovation for the people of the
community

SCOPE & LIMITATIONS

 This study will focus on library in India.

 The research would focus on observation and documentation.
 Due to non-proper alignment of window light and book shelves there is
shadow casting in the reading area during day time.
 Since the ceiling is way too high, ceiling lights are somewhat dim for study
purpose in the table.

METHODOLOGY By understanding the documentation and systems involved in

library.

7
CHAPTER 1 –

THE MEANING, NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LIBRARY

1.1 Introduction

The term ‘library’ means different things to different people depending on where
they stand on the enlightenment spectrum. To some, it is a bookstore; a building
where books are kept for safe custody over-seen by a stern-looking watchman in the
name of a librarian, essentially ensuring that the books are not tampered with
unduly. To many, the library is a place of reading and studying; where examination-
writing candidates make their second homes to read their textbooks and notebooks
in preparation. This explains why many libraries have seasonal uses as their patrons
have a well-known pattern of visits and usage, which are at the designated
examination periods. Only a few others conceive of the library as an organization of
information resources meant for use.

1.2 The Issues

The above perceptions underpin the justification for a variety of definitions of the
library by different people. The answer to such question as “what is a library’’ may
seem quite simple and straight-forward to provide; since many would quickly jump to
the conclusion “a room or building where books are kept”, “a reading room”, “a store-
house of books” etc. Even though these conceptions of a library are not completely
wrong in themselves, they however provide the foundations upon which the highly
misrepresented and misconceived idea of what a library truly is was laid. Even the
Librarian Glossary was not spared of this tendency in defining a library as “a
collection of books and other literary materials kept for reading, study and
consultation”, “a place, building, room or rooms set apart for the keeping and use of
a collection of books”.1

Incidentally, there is an historical antecedent to this line of conception of what a

library is. Evidence of this can be readily found in the Oxford English Dictionary,
8
which affirmed that the word “library” has been used in English in the sense of being
a place where books were kept for “reading, study, or reference” since 1374. By the
19th Century, the understanding metamorphosed into “a building, room, or set of
rooms containing a collection of books for the use of the public or some portion of it,
or the members of society; … a public institution or establishment charged with the
care of a collection of books.”2 Then, as time went by, additional concepts of
“circulation” and “administration” featured in the definition of a library.

No doubt therefore that the concept ‘library’ has long been established in our
language, and the more reason for the age-long misconceptions about the true
nature of the library, which is essentially dynamic (thus, ever-changing); and for
which those definitions, though correct to some extent, are no longer sacrosanct in
the face of an avalanche of new additions to the world of the library and the
librarianship profession today. These new additions have impacted tremendously on
the nature of the modern-day library; thereby rendering those either definitions
inadequate for capturing the true essence of what a typical library has come to
represent. Hence, the need for a re-examination of the concept towards a
redefinition that will reflect the emerging trends.

1.3 Towards a Re-definition

Granted that a great number of authors point at the fact that the term “library”
derives from the Latin word ‘Liber’ (i.e. book); equating the library with an
assemblage of books in a room or as a bookstore; as others would conceive of it,
have remained largely untenable. Superficially taken, there can be equivalence;
especially if such a purpose was to establish an historical perspective to the issue.

As such, the idea remained ever-relevant in that context. But the need for
advancement from an historical perspective was long over-due; as we needed to rise
above our inability to conceive of the book in its most widely generic sense.

The huge confirmation of the position is evidently rooted in the fact that:

The library is older than the book as we now know it, older than paper,
older than print. It extends back to the scrolls, papyri, and clay tablets
that appear near the dawn of writing-back to ancient Mesopotamia and
Egyptian civilization. 9
From the above, it becomes clear that the “book” in its multi-dimension of variants
had always occupied a centre-stage in the business of all the libraries that have
existed. As much as this assertion remains incontrovertible, it is certainly not in the
rather cheap sense of taking the book to mean the printed pages as they are known
to us today alone. Otherwise, it will remain substantially difficult to arrive at a better
conception and representation of the idea of a library.

There is yet another angle to the issue which needed to be addressed for a good
starting-point to be established, which is the perception of a library as a bookstore or
a place where books are kept for their safety mainly. While not disputing the age-
long custodianship responsibility of the library and the librarian towards the effective
safe-keep of the library material contents, the situation whereby such a responsibility
was positioned to sub-merge the functionality of the library’s materials (typified in
their use), remained absolutely contentious. Probably in anticipation of the
occurrence of this rather distorted perception, Ranganathan, in his Five Laws of
Library Science, posited “books are for use” as his very first. By this First Law
emphasizing use, Ranganathan has super-imposed the use (i.e. service) aspect of
the library’s responsibility/function above all others, more than anything else.

Emerging from the above background, one can therefore not but agree with the
well-informed declaration made by Shera to the effect that “an assembly of books is
not a library, nor is a library only a place where books are kept”.5 These two
parameters, though popular and commonly used in establishing what a library is,
have become inadequate to capture the real essence of a library. This is the point
driven home by Sharr in the opening remarks to his famous report when he
unequivocally declared that “a library is not a building as such, any more than a
hospital is a building. A quantity of books is not a library any more than a quantity of
drugs is a hospital”
These proclamations have profound significance in more than just one regard. On
the one hand, they represent an authentic declaration as to what the library is not;
given the two explicit allusions, which are self-explanatory in themselves. This is
important because they are good ways of taking our minds away from what the
library is not; having, in the process, enriched our understanding. On the other hand
however, they serve as the corollary by pointing, quite fundamentally, at a good start
to exploring a sound understanding of what truly
10 a library is or should be.
1.4 Now a Re-Definition Attempted

Deriving from our enriched knowledge of what the library is not, as postulated in the
foregoing, one ought to have been thoroughly prepared for a good understanding of
what a library actually is. The approach to be used in the presentation of this
segment will be a review of relevant and useful definitions by some authorities in the
subject areas. Olanipekun and Ifabiyi once described the library as “a collection of
information materials such as films, magazines, maps, manuscripts and phonograph
records) made available for use”. The phrase “for use” in the definition is of great
import as “books and other information materials brought together for other purposes
do not necessary constitute a library”. This is to emphasize the need for
underscoring “use” as of a high premium to the collection of information materials to
be found in the library contrary to other such collections as could be found
elsewhere. Thus, the library is defined as the repository, lender, acquirer and
borrower of organized information with the most emphases being on prepackaged
information for ready access and delivery to users.

Furthermore, Shera’s definition of a library as “an organization”, a system designed

to preserve and facilitate the use of graphic records”8 is also very instructive. The
points of note in this definition are the terms “organization” and “a system”; both of
which imply elements of co-ordination of inter-related units/partsall of which are
geared towards same ends. The ends to which the “organization” or “system” would
be targeted are “preservation and facilitation of the use of graphic records”. Thus, the
system here is expected to evolve devices with which information materials could be
presented and facilitated for use. The term “graphic records” used-this definition
should be understood from an all-inclusive perspective covering all kinds of formats
of communication media from the past to the present and even the future.

Thus, this definition does not delimit as to what particular kinds of material are to be
found in a library. Also in line with the first definition, this also emphasizes “use” as a
critical component of what constitutes a library. Even more elaborate and explicit is
the approach adopted by Sharr in defining a library as “an organization of one or
more trained people who use carefully selected and organized books, periodicals
11
and other familiar materials as a means of giving to those who may appropriately use
it, to the fullest extent of their needs or desires, the information, enrichment and
delight which is to be had from the written words.”9

A careful look at this definition reveals that not only did it also underscores the ‘’use’’
component but went further to touch on library professional personnel, duties and
responsibilities, among others. This organization, as far as Sharr was concerned,
comprises “one or more trained people” (referring to professional personnel), whose
material stocks have been “carefully selected”, (acquired) and organized. Then is the
variety of information materials to be found in the library ranging from “books,
periodicals and other familiar materials” (i.e. unlimited and unrestricted in coverage).
Lastly is the multitude of uses to which these information materials are put by all
categories of users namely; for “meeting needs or desires, the information,
enrichment or delight”, which are derivable from such uses generally.

Similarly, Aguolu, in yet a functional approach to the subject, defined a library as

“collection of records of human culture in diverse formats and languages, preserved
organized and interpreted to meet broad and varying needs of individuals for
information, knowledge, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment” . As the one just before
it, this definition essentially points at the functional ingredients of a library as they are
geared towards spelling out the fundamental responsibilities of a library.

From the foregoing therefore, it is apparent the term “library” is in almost everybody’s
vocabulary and an institution, which is a part of almost everybody’s experience.
However, the meanings that the individuals bring to it depend largely upon the nature
and extent of their experiences. Thus, the library has been frequently referred to,
albeit variously, as the “heart of the institution”, “the mind of society” … “the only
effective repository of ... the racial memory”;11 a live depository of the cultural past
and sustainers of the intellectual activity that anticipates the future”.

Evidently, the library is the only agency devoted solely to the purpose of collecting,
preserving, making available, transmitting and securing the widest and most effective
use of the records of civilization by the society of which it is a part. Fundamentally
however, the library, on its own and all by itself, cannot carry out these functions.
This is because, the library is essentially a human enterprise and like all such
enterprises, it must depend “ultimately upon the skilled minds and talents of
12
librarians for it to perform its proper role in our ever-changing society”. Finally,
possible interpretation and of the above definitions in a number of ways demands
that they are all taken together in the following ways:

1. That a library is a social instrument created to form a link in the

communication system that is to any society or culture. In other words,
communication should be seen as so indispensable that without it, there can
hardly be a society.
2. Even more so is that without some form of graphic records and a means for
their preservation, no culture can possibly endure.

In conclusion, it becomes apparent that from time to time, the library may
assume certain marginal functions, even though its basic purpose remain
generically the same, which is, serving as a link in the communication chain
that is concerned with the custody of recorded knowledge.

1.5 The Significance of the Library

People are what a library is all about. A library serves all who use it and reaches out
to all who do not or cannot. That is what the materials in a library, and the people
who work there, are for. It is common for a public library to have story hours for
children, including preschoolers. There are also picture books for them to page
through, filmstrips and films to watch, and records to listen to. Children can see an
exhibit of dolls or mobiles, watch a puppet show, or take part in an art contest. Some
public libraries even have educational toys to play with and to take home. Tables,
chairs, and shelves in a children's department are built to smaller and more
convenient scale. Children's librarians introduce children's books to parents and help
children choose books that are right for them. Sometimes storytellers are sent out
into a community, and children in some places can call on the telephone to have a
story read to them.

For those attending school, there is the school as well as the public library. Books
and-where these are available-records, even cassettes and cassette players, can be
taken home. Study booths and tables allow youngsters to work alone or in groups.
13
Screening rooms in some libraries are for viewing of films, filmstrips, and videotapes.
For sound tapes and records there are usually special listening areas. Both school
and public librarians teach students how to use a library.

From secondary school on, young people are served by many kinds of libraries.
Public libraries may have young adult sections with books and other materials of
interest to young people. Young adult librarians plan film programs, pottery or karate
workshops, and discussions on topics that concern the young in that particular
community. In a few school and academic libraries, a student can dial to get a
foreign language lesson or hear a lecture that has been stored in an information
retrieval bank.

Research libraries, when not part of a university, usually do not loan their materials.
But all types of materials can be checked out of many other libraries. What cannot be
checked out can often be borrowed through interlibrary loan or photocopied-many
libraries have photocopy machines, or copiers, for people to use. There may also be
machines called microfilm, micro-card, and microfiche readers. With these, a person
can read books, magazines, and newspapers that have been photographed and
much reduced in size.

Adults, too, are served by many kinds of libraries. Film programs and discussion
groups, concerts and plays held in library auditoriums, and art exhibitions often are
planned. In many places, women's groups, business management groups, labour
groups, and others can request materials and conference rooms for meetings.
Librarians provide materials and guidance on recreation, income tax, travel, health,
and retirement. Adults who do not speak the language of the country well or who
have little schooling can attend special programmes at public libraries. Public
librarians also reach out with books and services to such places as schools, nursing
homes for the elderly, jails, factories, union halls, and housing projects. In special
libraries, librarians not only find information for company workers but often
summarize it for them.

For people of all ages, there are librarians specially trained to answer questions or
help people get materials. There are also reference books such as encyclopedias to
use in finding information without help. Finding out is easier for people interested in
special subjects because library collections are arranged by subject. Library interiors
14
are designed to be inviting and comfortable for reading, listening, viewing, and
studying. Special devices such as wheelchair ramps are installed for the physically
handicapped. Many public libraries are community centres, with local artists showing
their work, or community leaders giving talks. A public library in the city has branch
libraries and bookmobiles.

For people in the country, there are books by mail, bookmobiles, book sleds, book
boats, book trains, and even book planes. “Talking books” and the record players to
use them are sent to the blind. So are magazines and books in Braille, as well as
books with large type for people with poor eyesight. Libraries reach out to help deaf,
sick, poor, and forgotten people. A library in ancient Egypt was called “The Healing
Place of the Soul.” That goes a long way towards explaining the essence of a library.

The following is a vivid summary of the significance of the library:

1. Library is a busy workshop where persons of all ages can seek and acquire
knowledge.
2. A Library makes it possible for us to show the experiences of many other
persons by reading about their thoughts, ideals, feelings, opinions and
achievements.

3. The information sources in the holding of a library give us the ideas and facts
that have collected for thousands of years.

4. Libraries also provide up-to-date information in all fields with collections of

books, journals, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, photographs, records,
motion pictures and other Information Technology related databases.

5. The library has been described as the “memory of the human race”. It is like a
giant brain that remembers all that scientists, historians, poets, philosophers
and others have thought and learned.

6. It is a meeting place for the ideas and words of persons who have influenced
the human race and his world.

7. It also serves as a place where the experience of the past can meet the needs
of the present. 15
 8. Libraries served us in our school work, as aid in our daily undertaking and for
pleasure in our leisure time just as young people learn to use the library as
part of their everyday school activities.

9. Libraries are one of the most conducive atmospheres for reading, studying
and researches.

The library is one element in the total communication system by which a society is
held together and a culture is created and maintained

16
CHAPTER 2: FEATURES AND TYPES INVOLVED IN LIBRARY

2.1 Library buildings

Library buildings play an important part in public library provision. They should be
designed to reflect the functions of the library service, be accessible to all in the
community and be sufficiently flexible to accommodate new and changing services.
They should be located close to other community activities, for example, shops and
cultural centres. Wherever possible the library should also be available for
community use, for example, for meetings and exhibitions and in larger buildings for
theatrical, musical, audiovisual and media performances. A well used public library
will make a significant contribution to the vitality of an urban area and be an
important learning and social centre and meeting place, particularly in scattered rural
areas. Librarians should, therefore, ensure that library buildings are used and
managed effectively to make the best use of the facilities for the benefit of the whole
community.

2.2 A Brief on Library History

The first libraries were only partly libraries, being composed for the most part of
unpublished records, which are usually viewed as archives, not libraries.
Archaeological findings from the ancient city-states of Sumer have revealed temple
rooms full of clay tablets in cuneiform script. These archives were made up almost
completely of the records of commercial transactions or inventories, with only a few
documents touching theological matters, historical records or legends. Things were
much the same in the government and temple records on papyrus of Ancient Egypt.

The earliest discovered private archives were kept at Ugarit; besides

correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized
practice-texts for teaching new scribes. Private or personal libraries made up of non-
fiction and fiction books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in
archives) first appeared in classical Greece. The first ones appeared some time near
the 5th century BC. The celebrated book collectors of Hellenistic Antiquity were listed
in the late second century in Deipnosophistae.

17
Polycrates of Samos and Pisistratus who was tyrant of Athens, and Euclid’s who was
himself also an Athenian and Nicorrates of Samos and even the kings of Pergamos,
and Euripides the poet and Aristotle the philosopher, and Nelius his librarian; from
whom they say our countryman Ptolemæus, surnamed Philadelphia, bought them all,
and transported them, with all those which he had collected at Athens and at Rhodes
to his own beautiful Alexandria.[4] All these libraries were Greek; the cultivated
Hellenized diners in Deipnosophistae pass over the libraries of Rome in silence. At
the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, apparently the villa of Caesar's father-in-law,
the Greek library has been partly preserved in volcanic ash; archaeologists
speculate that a Latin library, kept separate from the Greek one, may await discovery
at the site.

Libraries were filled with parchment scrolls as at Pergamum and on papyrus scrolls
as at Alexandria: export of prepared writing materials was a staple of commerce.
There were a few institutional or royal libraries like the Library of Alexandria which
were open to an educated public, but on the whole collections were private. In those
rare cases where it was possible for a scholar to consult library books there seems
to have been no direct access to the stacks. In all recorded cases the books were
kept in a relatively small room where the staff went to get them for the readers, who
had to consult them in an adjoining hall or covered walkway.

Little is known about early Chinese libraries, save what is written about the imperial
library which began with the Qin Dynasty. One of the curators of the imperial library
in the Han Dynasty is believed to have been the first to establish a library
classification system and the first book notation system. At this time the library
catalogue was written on scrolls of fine silk and stored in silk bags. There is also
evidence of those libraries at Nippur of about 1900 B.C. and those at Nineveh of
about 700 B.C. as showing a library classification system.[5]

In Persia, many libraries were established by the Zoroastrian elite and the Persian
Kings. Among the first ones was a royal library in Isfahan. One of the most important
public libraries established around 667 AD in south-western Iran was the Library of
Gundishapur. It was a part of a bigger scientific complex located at the Academy of
Gundishapur. In the West, the first public libraries were established under the

18
Roman Empire as each succeeding emperor strove to open one or many which
outshone that of his predecessor.

Unlike the Greek libraries, readers had direct access to the scrolls, which were kept
on shelves built into the walls of a large room. Reading or copying was normally
done in the room itself. The surviving records give only a few instances of lending
features. As a rule Roman public libraries were bilingual: they had a Latin room and
a Greek room. Most of the large Roman baths were also cultural centers, built from
the start with a library, with the usual two room arrangement for Greek and Latin
texts.

In the sixth century, at the very close of the Classical period, the great libraries of the
Mediterranean world remained those of Constantinople and Alexandria.
Cassiodorus, minister to Theodoric, established a monastery at Vivarium in the heel
of Italy with a library where he attempted to bring Greek learning to Latin readers and
preserve texts both sacred and secular for future generations. As its unofficial
librarian, Cassiodorus not only collected as many manuscripts as he could, he also
wrote treatises aimed at instructing his monks in the proper uses of reading and
methods for copying texts accurately. In the end, however, the library at Vivarium
was dispersed and lost within a century.

Elsewhere in the Early Middle Ages, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and
before the rise of the large Western Christian monastery libraries beginning at
Montecassino, libraries were found in scattered places in the Christian Middle East.
Upon the rise of Islam, libraries in newly Islamic lands knew a brief period of
expansion in the Middle East, North Africa, Sicily and Spain. Like the Christian
libraries, they mostly contained books which were made of paper, and took a codex
or modern form instead of scrolls; they could be found in mosques, private homes,
and universities.

Some mosques sponsored public libraries. Ibn al-Nadim's bibliography Fihrist

demonstrates the devotion of medieval Muslim scholars to books and reliable
sources; it contains a description of thousands of books circulating in the Islamic
world circa 1000, including an entire section for books about the doctrines of other
religions. Unfortunately, modern Islamic libraries for the most part do not hold these

19
antique books; many were lost, destroyed by Mongols, or removed to European
libraries and museums during the colonial period.[6]

By the 8th century first Iranians and then Arabs had imported the craft of paper
making from China, with a mill already at work in Baghdad in 794. By the 9th century
completely public libraries started to appear in many Islamic cities. They were called
"halls of Science" or dar al-'ilm. They were each endowed by Islamic sects with the
purpose of representing their tenets as well as promoting the dissemination of
secular knowledge. The libraries often employed translators and copyists in large
numbers, in order to render into Arabic the bulk of the available Persian, Greek and
Roman non-fiction and the classics of literature.

This flowering of Islamic learning ceased after a few centuries as the Islamic world
began to turn against experimentation and learning. After a few centuries many of
these libraries were destroyed by Mongolian invasion. Others were victim of wars
and religious strife in the Islamic world. However, a few examples of these medieval
libraries, such as the libraries of Chinguetti in West Africa, remain intact and
relatively unchanged even today. Another ancient library from this period which is
still operational and expanding is the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi in the
Iranian city of Mashhad, which has been operating for more than six centuries.

The contents of these Islamic libraries were copied by Christian monks in

Muslim/Christian border areas, particularly Spain and Sicily. From there they
eventually made their way into other parts of Christian Europe. These copies joined
works that had been preserved directly by Christian monks from Greek and Roman
originals, as well as copies Western Christian monks made of Byzantine works. The
resulting conglomerate libraries are the basis of every modern library today.

Medieval library design reflected the fact that these manuscripts--created via the
labor-intensive process of hand copying--were valuable possessions. Library
architecture developed in response to the need for security. Librarians often chained
books to lecterns, armaria (wooden chests), or shelves, in well-lit rooms. Despite this
protectiveness, many libraries were willing to lend their books if provided with
security deposits (usually money or a book of equal value). Monastic libraries lent
and borrowed books from each other frequently and lending policy was often
theologically grounded.
20
For example, the Franciscan monasteries loaned books to each other without a
security deposit since according to their vow of poverty only the entire order could
own property. In 1212 the council of Paris condemned those monasteries that still
forbade loaning books, reminding them that lending is "one of the chief works of
mercy."
The earliest example in England of a library to be endowed for the benefit of users
who were not members of an institution such as a cathedral or college was the
Francis Trigge Chained Library in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1598. The
library still exists and can justifiably claim to be the forerunner of later public library
systems. The early libraries located in monastic cloisters and associated with
scriptoria were collections of lecterns with books chained to them. Shelves built
above and between back-to-back lecterns were the beginning of book-presses.

The chain was attached at the fore-edge of a book rather than to its spine. Book
presses came to be arranged in carrels (perpendicular to the walls and therefore to
the windows) in order to maximize lighting, with low bookcases in front of the
windows. This stall system (fixed bookcases perpendicular to exterior walls pierced
by closely spaced windows) was characteristic of English institutional libraries. In
Continental libraries, bookcases were arranged parallel to and against the walls. This
wall system was first introduced on a large scale in Spain's El Escorial.

As books became more common, the need for chaining them lessened. But as the
number of books in libraries increased, so did the need for compact storage and
access with adequate lighting, giving birth to the stack system, which involved
keeping a library's collection of books in a space separate from the reading room, an
arrangement which arose in the 19th century. Book stacks quickly evolved into a
fairly standard form in which the cast iron and steel frameworks supporting the
bookshelves also supported the floors, which often were built of translucent blocks to
permit the passage of light (but were not transparent, for reasons of modesty). With
the introduction of electrical lighting, it had a huge impact on how the library
operated.

Also, the use of glass floors was largely discontinued, though floors were still often
composed of metal grating to allow air to circulate in multi-story stacks. Ultimately,
even more space was needed, and a method of moving shelves on tracks (compact
21
shelving) was introduced to cut down on otherwise wasted aisle space. Also, the
governments of most major countries support national libraries. Three noteworthy
examples are the U.S. Library of Congress, Canada's Library and Archives Canada,
and the British Library. A typically broad sample of libraries in one state in the U.S.
can be explored at Every Library in Illinois.

Libraries almost invariably contain long aisles with rows and rows and rows of books.
Libraries have materials arranged in a specified order according to a library
classification system, so that items may be located quickly and collections may be
browsed efficiently. Some libraries have additional galleries beyond the public ones,
where reference materials are stored. These reference stacks may be open to
selected members of the public. Others require patrons to submit a "stack request,"
which is a request for an assistant to retrieve the material from the closed stacks.

Early libraries
The first libraries consisted of archives of the earliest form of
writing—the clay tablets in cuneiform script discovered in
temple rooms in Sumer,some dating back to 2600 BC. These
archives, which mainly consisted of the records of
commercial transactions or inventories, mark the end of
prehistory and the start of history.

Things were much the same in the government and temple

records on papyrus of Ancient Egypt. The earliest discovered
private archives were kept at Ugarit; besides correspondence
and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for
teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at Nippur about 1900 BC
and those at Nineveh about 700 BC showing a library classification system.

Classical period
Persia at the time of the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC)
was home to some outstanding libraries. Those libraries
22
within the kingdom had two major functions: the first came from the need to keep the
records of administrative documents including transactions, governmental orders,
and budget allocation within and between the Satrapies and the central ruling State.
The second function was to collect precious resources on different subjects of
science and set of principles e.g. medical science, astronomy, history, geometry and
philosophy. In 1933 an impressive collection of clay tablets discovered by the
University of Chicago in Persepolis revealed the strong tendency of the
Achaemenids to record, classify and store their documents as the backbone of their
ruling system throughout a vast territory. The content of these baked tablets written
in Old Persian, Elamite and Babylonian vary from records of sales, taxes, payments,
treasury details to remarkable social, artistic and philosophical aspects of ordinary
life in the Empire. These uniquely important tablets, known as the Persepolis
Fortification Archive, are the property of Iran. A part of this impressive library archive
is now kept in Iran and a great proportion of it is with the hand of Chicago Oriental
Institute as a long term loan for the purpose of studying, analyzing and translating.

European middle Ages

In the Early Middle Ages, monastery libraries

developed, such as the important one at the Abbey of
Montecassino in Italy. Books were usually chained to
the shelves, reflecting the fact that manuscripts, which
were created via the labour -intensive process of hand
copying, were valuable possessions. This hand-copying
was often accomplished by travelling monks who made
the treks to the sources of knowledge and illumination they sought for learning or to
copy the manuscripts held by other monasteries for their own monastic libraries.

Despite this protectiveness, many libraries loaned books if provided with security
deposits (usually money or a book of equal value). Lending was a means by which
books could be copied and spread. In 1212, the council of Paris condemned those
monasteries that still forbade loaning books, reminding them that lending is "one of
the chief works of mercy".The early libraries located
23 in monastic cloisters and
associated with scriptoria were collections of lecterns with books chained to them.
Shelves built above and between back-to-back lecterns were the beginning of
bookpresses. The chain was attached at the fore-edge of a book rather than to its
spine. Book presses came to be arranged in carrels (perpendicular to the walls and
therefore to the windows) in order to maximize lighting, with low bookcases in front of
the windows

Renaissance
From the 15th century in central and northern Italy,
libraries of humanists and their enlightened patrons
provided a nucleus around which an "academy" of
scholars congregated in each Italian city of
consequence. Malatesta Novello, lord of Cesena,
founded the Malatestiana Library. Cosimo de' Medici in
Florence established his own collection, which formed
the basis of the Laurentian Library. In Rome, the papal collections were brought
together by Pope Nicholas V, in separate Greek and Latin libraries, and housed by
Pope Sixtus IV, who consigned the Bibliotheca Apostolic Vatican a to the care of his
librarian, the humanist Bartolomeo Platina in February 1475.

In the 16th century, Sixtus V bisected Bramante's Cortile del Belvedere with a cross-
wing to house the Apostolic Library in suitable magnificence. The 16th and 17th
centuries saw other privately endowed libraries assembled in Rome: the
Vallicelliana, formed from the books of Saint Filippo Neri, with other distinguished
libraries such as that of Cesare Baronio, the Biblioteca Angelica founded by the
Augustinian Angelo Rocca, which was the only truly public library in Counter-
Reformation Rome; the Biblioteca Alessandrina with which Pope Alexander VII
endowed the University of Rome; the Biblioteca Casanatense of the Cardinal
Girolamo Casanata; and finally the Biblioteca Corsiniana founded by the bibliophile
Clement XII Corsini and his nephew Cardinal Neri Corsini, still housed in Palazzo
Corsini in via della Lungara. The Republic of Venice patronized the foundation of the
Biblioteca Marciana, based on the library of Cardinal Basilios Bessarion. In Milan,
Cardinal Federico Borromeo founded the Biblioteca Ambrosiana.
24
Enlightenment era libraries
The 17th and 18th centuries include what is known as a
golden age of libraries; during this time some of the more
important libraries were founded in Europe. Francis Trigge
Chained Library of St. Wulfram's Church, Grantham, and
Lincolnshire was founded in 1598 by the rector of nearby
Welbourne. This library is considered the "ancestor of
public libraries" because patrons were not required to be
members of a particular college or church to use the library. Trigge's library held over
350 books, and his inclusion of both Catholic and Protestant resources is considered
unique for the time, since religious conflicts during the Reformation years were
common. Thomas Bodley founded the Bodleian Library, which was open to the
"whole republic of the learned", Norwich City library was established in 1608, and the
British Library was established in 1753. Chetham's Library in Manchester, which
claims to be the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, opened in 1653.
Other early town libraries of the UK include those of Ipswich (1612), Bristol (founded
in 1613 and opened in 1615), and Leicester (1632). Shrewsbury School also opened
its library to townsfolk. The Mazarine Library and the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève
were founded in Paris, the Austrian National Library in Vienna, the National Central
Library in Florence, the Prussian State Library in Berlin, the Załuski Library in
Warsaw, and the M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library in St Petersburg.

At the start of the 18th century, libraries were becoming increasingly public and were
more frequently lending libraries. The 18th century saw the switch from closed
parochial libraries to lending libraries. Before this time,
public libraries were parochial in nature and libraries
frequently chained their books to desks. Libraries also
were not uniformly open to the public.

Even though the British Museum existed at this time and

contained over 50,000 books, the national library was not
open to the public, or even to a majority of the population.
Access to the Museum depended on passes, of which there was sometimes a
25
waiting period of three to four weeks. Moreover, the library was not open to
browsing. Once a pass to the library had been issued, the reader was taken on a
tour of the library.

Modern public library

Although by the mid-19th century England could claim
274 subscription libraries and Scotland, 266, the
foundation of the modern public library system in Britain
is the Public Libraries Act 1850. The Act first gave local
boroughs the power to establish free public libraries and
was the first legislative step toward the creation of an
enduring national institution that provides universal free
access to information and literature. In the 1830s, at the
height of the Chartist movement, there was a general tendency towards reformism in
the United Kingdom. The Capitalist economic model had created a significant
amount of free time for workers, and the middle classes were concerned that the
workers' free time was not being well-spent. This was prompted more by Victorian
middle class paternalism rather than by demand from the lower social orders.
Campaigners felt that encouraging the lower classes to spend their free time on
morally uplifting activities, such as reading, would promote greater social good.

26
2.3 Some Famous Libraries in History

Some of the greatest libraries in the world are research libraries. The most famous
ones include The Humanities and Social Sciences Library of the New YorkPublic
Library in New York City, the Russian National Library in St Petersburg, the British
Library in London, Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, and the Library of
Congress in Washington, D.C..

1. Assurbanipal's library at Nineveh, founded between 669-631 BC.

2. Egypt's Library of Alexandria (founded in 3rd century BC) and modern

Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

3. Baghdad's House of Wisdom, founded in 8th century AD.

4. Islamic Spain's library of Cordoba, founded in 9th century.

5. Egypt's library of Cairo, founded in 10th century.

6. Tripoli's Dar il-'ilm, destroyed in 1109.

7. Ambrosian Library in Milan opened to the public, December 8, 1609.

8. Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF) in Paris, 1720.

9. Boston Public Library in Boston, 1826.

10. Bodleian Library at University of Oxford1602, books collection begin around

1252.
11. British Library in London created in 1973 by the British Library Act of 1972.

12. British Library of Political and Economic Science in London, 1896.

13. Butler Library at Columbia University, 1934

14. Cambridge University Library at University of Cambridge, 1931.

15. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, 1895.

16. Carolina Rediviva at Uppsala University, 1841

17. Dutch Royal Library in The Hague, 1798

27
18. The European Library, 2004

19. Firestone Library at Princeton University, 1948

20. Fisher Library at the University of Sydney (largest in the SouthernHemisphere),

1908
21. Franklin Public Library in Franklin, Massachusetts (the first public library in the
U.S.; original books donated by Benjamin Franklin in 1731)
22. Free Library of Philadelphia in Philadelphia established February 18, 1891.

23. Garrison Library in Gibraltar, 1793.

24. Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, 1924, probably the largest
single-building university library in the world.
25. House of Commons Library, Westminster, London. Established 1818.

26. Jenkins Law Library in Philadelphia founded 1802.

27. Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem, Israel, 1892.

28. John Rylands Library in Manchester 1972.

29. Leiden University Library at Leiden University in Leiden began at 1575 with
confiscated monastery books. Officially open in October 31, 1587.
30. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. 1800.

31. Library of Sir Thomas Browne, 1711

32. Mitchell Library in Glasgow (Europe's largest public reference library)

33. National Library of Belarus in Minsk, 2006.

34. National Library of Australia in Canberra, Australia

35. National Library of Ireland, Dublin

36. New York Public Library in New York

37. Osler Library of the History of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal,

Canada

38. Sassanid's ancient Library of Gondishapur around 489.

28
39. National Library of Iran, 1937.

40. Powell Library at UCLA, part of the UCLA Library.

41. Russian State Library in Moscow, 1862.

42. Royal Library in Copenhagen, 1793.

43. Seattle Central Library

44. Staatsbibliothek in Berlin

45. State Library of Victoria in Melbourne

46. Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University, 1931.

47. Vatican Library in Vatican City, 1448 (but existed before).

48. Widener Library at Harvard University (Harvard University Library including all
branches has the largest academic collection overall.)
49. The St. Phillips Church Parsonage Provincial Library, established in 1698 in
Charleston, South Carolina, was the first public lending library in the American
Colonies.
50. Boston Public Library, an early public lending library in America, was
established in 1848.
51. Haskell Free Library and Opera House, which straddles the Canada-US

border.

St. Marys Church, Reigate, Surrey houses the first public lending library in England.
Opened 14 March1701.

29
2.4 The Library System

A typical library is composed of a number of departments, sections or units,

which include: Circulation, Technical, Reference, Serials, Media, Reserved and
Readers’ Services as the case may be from one library to the other; due to slight
variations existing in different types of libraries. As a system, library is a complex of
relations between people and information processes, within larger social, economic
and political systems. Systems are not synonyms with computers; in librarianship,
they are communication system of ideas interrelated with an operational system
using computers in its physical processes. In the systems approach, information is
essential; it is communicated by libraries, which "as the medium for organization and
transfer of information are society's work of art." A library "is a group of things
that have been brought together to provide specific knowledge for the use of specific
people to serve a specific purpose at a specific point in time." It is defined as "an
organized collection of the carriers of knowledge." Organization is "both a way of
referring to an ability to locate library materials, and a way to show the
interrelationships between them." Collection is the basic concept in library work and
its professionalism. Carriers define the library's function as a knowledge store-house.
Knowledge is the information packaged into higher level of organization.

A library "is a group of things that have been brought together to provide
specific knowledge for the use of specific people to serve a specific purpose at a
specific point in time." "Libraries represent basic knowledge availability systems that
are far more than mere repositories for storing books. Changing library designs over
the past hundred years has reflected and been closely associated with changing
conceptions of the underlying rationality and order in knowledge. The proliferation of
new activities have led to the emergence of new professions and disciplines whose
main intellectual and practical responsibility is for management, storage, and
retrieval of bodies of knowledge in a formal, rather than a substantive way. Instead of
the earlier predominance of a substantive focus on the classification and storing of
relevant bodies of knowledge, these new disciplines domains and techniques focus
on structures of relevance, ways in which information can be traced within bodies of
knowledge, and ways of charting the various channels of knowledge flow through
social systems.
30
 The ALA Glossary defines library science as "the knowledge, demands and
skills by which recorded information is selected, acquired, organized and utilized in
meeting the information needs of a community of users." Library science is a study
of the principles relating to the generation, collection, organization and classification
of information for storage and retrieval. Major responsibility is for dissemination of all
forms of information to appropriate audiences. Library science is the knowledge and
skill needed to recognize, collect, organize and utilize printed records in terms of the
patron need; collecting rather than accumulating, organizing rather than arranging
library materials. The library is defined as "an organized collection of the carriers of
knowledge."

Library science is an interdisciplinary science incorporating the humanities, law and

applied science to study topics relating to libraries, the collection, organization,
preservation and dissemination of information resources, and the political economy
of information. Historically, library science has also included archival science. The
distinction between a library and an archive is relatively modern. This includes how
information resources are organized to serve the needs of select user groups, 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.

Academic courses in library science include Collection Management,

Information Systems and Technology, Cataloguing and Classification, Preservation,
Reference, Statistics and Management. Library science is constantly evolving,
incorporating new topics like Database Management, Information Architecture and
Knowledge Management. There is no generally agreed distinction between library
science, library and information science, and librarianship. To a certain extent they
can be considered equivalent terms, perhaps adopted to increase the "science"
aspect, or improve the popular image of librarians.

The term Library and Information Science (LIS) is sometimes used; most
librarians consider it as only a terminological variation, intended to emphasize the
31
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, or information science, a field
related to computer science and cognitive science. One operational view, implied by
some textbooks, is that librarianship means the professional aspects of work as a
librarian, such as certification, in-service training and issues of gender equality. The
ALA Glossary defines librarianship as "the profession concerned with the application
of knowledge of media and those principles, theories, techniques and technologies
which contribute to the establishment, preservation, organization, and utilization of
collections of library materials and to the dissemination of information through
media."

32
2.5 DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIBRARIES

Introduction

The Library as an institution is a collection of books and other informational materials

made available to people for reading, study, or reference. The word library comes
from liber, the Latin word for “book.” However, library collections have almost always
contained a variety of materials. Contemporary libraries maintain collections that
include not only printed materials such as manuscripts, books, newspapers, and
magazines, but also art reproductions, films, sound and video recordings, maps,
photographs, microfiches, CD-ROMs, computer software, online databases, and
other media. In addition to maintaining collections within library buildings, modern
libraries often feature telecommunications links that provide users with access to
information at remote sites.

The central mission of a library is to collect, organize, preserve, and provide access
to knowledge and information. In fulfilling this mission, libraries preserve a valuable
record of culture that can be passed down to succeeding generations. Libraries are
an essential link in this communication between the past, present, and future.
Whether the cultural record is contained in books or in electronic formats, libraries
ensure that the record is preserved and made available for later use. Libraries
provide people with access to the information they need to work, play, learn, and
govern.

People in many professions use library resources to assist them in their work.
People also use library resources to gain information about personal interests or to
obtain recreational materials such as films and novels. Students use libraries to
supplement and enhance their classroom experiences, to learn skills in locating
sources of information, and to develop good reading and study habits. Public officials
use libraries to research legislation and public policy issues. One of the most valued
of all cultural institutions, the library provides information and services that are
essential to learning and progress.

33
Different Types

Because no single library can contain the information sought by every potential user,
different types of libraries exist to serve different needs. Libraries fall into six basic
categories: (1) public libraries, which serve all members of the general public;

(2) school libraries, which serve students and faculty through the high school level;

(3) college and university libraries, which serve students and faculty in higher
education;

(4) research libraries, which serve the needs of advanced scholars;

(5) special libraries, which serve various organizations, industries, and governmental
agencies;

(6) government libraries, which serve governmental departments and agencies, and
often the general public as well.

In general, libraries are classified into four major categories:

1. public (as in your local library, often funded by city/county/state),

2. school media centres (the libraries that cater to primary and secondary school
students),
3. academic (libraries at public and private universities and institutions of higher
learning),
4. special libraries (libraries that deal specifically with special items like legal or
medical resources, or libraries that are part of institutions dedicated to the study
of special subjects).

Note, however, that these categories are fluid and can often overlap (for example, a
law school's library may be considered both special and academic; a local historical
society might also be both public in that members of the local community may be
able to borrow books, and may even receive public funds, but might also be
considered "special" due to a concentration of holdings on a specific topic). Also,
many academic libraries have what is called a "Special Collections" section in which
books and other media related to a specific topic are collected and cataloged for use
by scholars and members of the public (although non-university supported persons
may need special permission to use these resources
34 as they are sometimes old,
fragile, and in need of special upkeep or preservation). Each type of library develops
its mission statement, collections, services, and facilities to satisfy the needs of its
particular clientele.

Public Libraries

All types of libraries, from very early times, have a common objective which is
collection, organization, preservation and dissemination of knowledge. The library
came into existence due to the felt needs of the society for an information service
mechanism. It has become a very important institution of the civilized society. Public
library, by preserving and transmitting from generation to generation the recorded
human experience on which all future activities are to be based, plays a very
important role in development. Public library system is an integrated nationwide
network of public libraries giving free library and information services to one and all
the citizens-literate or illiterate, rich or poor, rural or urban.

Public libraries exist in most nations of the world and are often considered an
essential part of having an educated and literate population. In addition to print
books and periodicals, most public libraries today have a wide array of other media
including music CDs, computer software, movies on video tape, and DVD, as well as
facilities to access the Internet. Many public libraries also provide access to digital
books and music that can be downloaded directly to Mp3 players. Public libraries
may also provide other services, such as community meeting rooms, story-times for
infants, toddlers and children, or after-school programmes.

In person and on-line programmes for homework help, language learning and other
community service programs are common offerings. One of the most popular
programs offered in public libraries are summer reading programmes for children,
families, and adults. In rural areas, the local public library may have, in addition to its
main branch, a mobile library service, consisting of one or more buses furnished as a
small public library, serving the countryside according to a regular schedule.

35
Public libraries are distinct from research libraries, school libraries, or other special
libraries in that their mandate is to serve the public's information needs generally
(rather than serve a particular school, institution, or research population). Public
libraries typically are lending libraries, circulating books and other materials to the
users. They also have non-circulating reference collections; typically focus on
popular materials such as popular fiction and videos, as well as educational and non-
fiction materials of interest to the general public. In the larger cities, they are, to
some extent, reference libraries as well and offer free access to on-line databases
with resources for business, healthcare, parenting, consumer education, career
counseling, and education.

Public libraries also provide materials for children, including books, videos and
DVDs, music CDs and other materials (fiction and nonfiction), often housed in a
special section. Child oriented websites with on-line educational games and
programmes, specifically designed for younger library users, are becoming
increasingly common. They may also provide services for other particular groups,
such as large print or Braille materials, young adult literature and other materials for
teenagers, or materials in other than the national language. Public libraries do not
work on their own but (ideally) in cooperation with other educational and cultural
institutions. In future it will become even more important for public libraries to set up
strategic partnerships. Often it is not possible for a public library any more to fulfill its
mission without partners.

Most public librarians provide reference and research help to the general public,
usually at a reference desk but can often be done by telephone interview. As online
discussion and social networking allow for remote access, reference is becoming
available virtually through the use of the Internet and e-mail. Depending on the size
of the library, there may be more than one desk; at some smaller libraries all
transactions may occur at one desk, while large urban public libraries may employ
subject-specialist librarians with the ability to staff multiple reference or information
desks to answer queries about particular topics at any time of the day or night. Often,
the children's section in a public library has its own reference desk.

36
The School Library

School libraries serve elementary schools, middle schools, junior high schools, and
high schools. The main function of a school library is to support various educational
programmes and to develop students’ skills in locating and using information.
Teachers use school libraries to access information needed to develop and support
their classroom instructions. Students use the materials in school libraries to perform
their class work.

School libraries usually maintain collections in a variety of media. In addition to

books, magazines, and newspapers, they may contain photographs, films, sound
and video recordings, computers, CD-ROMs, games, and maps. Some school
libraries contain realia, or real artifacts such as various types of stones for the study
of geology. An increasing number of school libraries have computer labs with
computer workstations, software, and Internet connections. Because school libraries
often emphasize the variety of media in their collections, they are sometimes
referred to as library media centers. Most school libraries further enhance their
collections by becoming members of school library networks; this allows them to
share resources with libraries in other schools.

School librarians-sometimes called media specialists-select library materials and

offer instruction to promote access, delivery, and interpretation of information (e.g.
ensuring that their library’s collections contain information to assist students in
completing particular classroom assignments). They might also offer classes in
searching online catalogues for research materials. Once students locate materials,
school librarians might help them interpret the information contained in these
resources and apply it to their classroom assignments.

School librarians typically should have credentials in teaching as well as in library

science. This allows them to participate in school administration and curriculum
development in addition to managing their library duties. Students at each
educational level have unique needs and interests. Accordingly, libraries that serve
different school levels maintain different types of collections and offer a different
range of services.

37
Today’s school library media specialist (i.e. librarian) works with both students and
teachers to facilitate access to information in a wide variety of formats, instruct
students and teachers how to acquire, evaluate and use information and the
technology needed in this process, and introduces children and young adults to
literature and other resources to broaden their horizons. As a collaborator, change
agent, and leader, the school library media specialist develops, promotes and
implements a program that will help prepare students to be effective users of ideas
and information, a lifelong skill.

The Academic Library

Research plays a central role in the academic work of students and faculty at
colleges and universities. As a result, college and university libraries-also called
academic libraries-are often considered the most important resource of an institution
of higher education. Because students and faculty at these institutions may wish to
conduct research within any conceivable academic discipline, the collections of
academic libraries usually reflect a vast range of interests and formats. Academic
libraries range in size from the modest collections found in small liberal arts colleges
to the immense collections found at research universities. Research universities
maintain some of the largest libraries in the world.

Most academic libraries are linked to other libraries in cooperative networks,

enabling them to share scarce and little-used materials required for advanced
research. Many academic libraries open their collections to the public, although
borrowing privileges are often limited for users not affiliated with the college or
university.

Large research universities often have separate libraries within individual academic
departments, schools, or colleges (e.g. academic branch libraries may devote their
collections exclusively to agriculture, art, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, or
other academic disciplines). Universities may also divide their libraries into
undergraduate and graduate divisions. Undergraduate libraries typically offer
relatively general materials needed to support study toward a fouryear,
undergraduate degree. Graduate libraries contain materials for more specialized
study toward an advanced, graduate degree. Some academic libraries also have
38
separate buildings for rare books, handwritten manuscripts, maps, and other
specialized collections.

Academic libraries generally attempt to expand their holdings on an ongoing basis.

However, during the 1990s acquisition of expensive printed materials began slowing
at most academic libraries as more funds were devoted to the acquisition of new
computers, telecommunications equipment for access to the Internet, and online
databases. Because of the complexity, range, and diversity of formats and
information in academic libraries, colleges and universities offer programmes to
introduce incoming students and faculty to the institution’s library services. These
programs are designed to teach new users effective ways to make use of a variety of
reference tools and library search mechanisms.

The Research Libraries

Research libraries contain collections of unique materials to support the needs of

advanced and highly specialized scholarship. These collections may include rare
manuscripts and books, scientific documents, important printings of literary works,
regional histories, genealogies, original musical scores, or other distinctive scholarly
resources. Because these collections may contain many rare and valuable materials,
their use is typically confined to the library buildings. Research libraries often publish
scholarly studies of the materials in their collections, sponsor lectures and colloquia,
and arrange exhibitions of their most important holdings.

Most colleges and universities have rare books or special collections departments in
their libraries, and many maintain research libraries devoted entirely to such
collections. For example, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale
University in New Haven, Connecticut, maintains early manuscripts and rare books
in the fields of literature, theology, history, and the natural sciences. Also notable is
the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto. This library
maintains diverse collections ranging from a 1789 BC Babylonian cuneiform tablet to
British and French literature and to works by contemporary Canadian writers.

Many important research libraries are unaffiliated with a college or university. For
example, the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington,
39 D.C., is an independent
library that maintains the world’s largest collection of printed works by English poet
and playwright William Shakespeare, in addition to books and manuscripts from the
Renaissance on a variety of subjects. The Newberry Library in Chicago houses
notable collections in history, literature, and the fine arts. The Library Company of
Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, specializes in American history from the 17th through
the 19th century.

The library of the American Philosophical Society, also in Philadelphia, is a center for
research in the histories of science, medicine, and technology. The American
Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, maintains collections in early
American history. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in
San Marino, California, has an extensive collection of rare books and manuscripts of
British and American history and literature. The Family History Library in Salt Lake
City, Utah, has the world’s largest collection of genealogical materials. It is operated
by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Pierpont Morgan Library in
New York City contains large collections of early printed books, medieval
manuscripts, early book bindings, and American historical documents.

Although some research libraries permit only selected scholars to access their
collections, many notable research libraries in the United States open their
collections to the general public. The four research centers of the New York
PublicLibrary contain more than 40 million items, making it the world’s largest
publicly accessible research library complex. Its research centers consist of the
Center for the Humanities, housed in the Central Research Building of the library; the
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, located in the Lincoln Center
complex; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in Harlem; and the
Science, Industry and Business Library, located in the Manhattan business district on
Madison Avenue. The rare books and manuscripts division, housed in the Center for
the Humanities, maintains a strong collection of Americana, especially books printed
before 1801.

40
Notable rarities include the only known copy of the 1493 Barcelona, Spain printing of
the letter by Italian Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus announcing his arrival in
the New World; the Bay Psalm Book, printed in 1640, which was the first book
printed in what would become the United States; and a copy of the first printing of
the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The division also has a complete copy of a
Gutenberg Bible, printed sometime between 1450 and 1456, as well as impressive
collections in the fields of English and American literature, children’s literature, and
science fiction. The library’s manuscript holdings include British and American
historical documents and excellent examples of medieval illuminated manuscripts.

Children's libraries
Children's libraries are special collections of books intended for juvenile readers and
usually kept in separate rooms of general public libraries. Some children's libraries
have entire floors or wings dedicated to them in bigger libraries while smaller ones
may have a separate room or area for children. They are an educational agency
seeking to acquaint the young with the world's literature and to cultivate a love for
reading. Their work supplements that of the public schools.

Services commonly provided by public libraries may include storytelling sessions for
infants, toddlers, preschool children, or after-school programs, all with an intention of
developing early literacy skills and a love of books. One of the most popular
programs offered in public libraries are summer reading programs for children,
families, and adults.[140]

Another popular reading program for children is PAWS TO READ or similar

programs where children can read to certified therapy dogs. Since animals are a
calming influence and there is no judgment, children learn confidence and a love of
reading. Many states have these types of programs: parents need simply ask their
librarian to see if it is available at their local library.

National libraries
A national or state library serves as a national repository of information, and has the
right of legal deposit, which is a legal requirement
41 that publishers in the country need
to deposit a copy of each publication with the library. Unlike a public library, a
national library rarely allows citizens to borrow books. Often, their collections include
numerous rare, valuable, or significant works. There are wider definitions of a
national library, putting less emphasis on the repository character. The first national
libraries had their origins in the royal collections of the sovereign or some other
supreme body of the state.

Many national libraries cooperate within the National Libraries Section of the
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) to discuss
their common tasks, define and promote common standards, and carry out projects
helping them to fulfil their duties. The national libraries of Europe participate in The
European Library which is a service of the Conference of European National
Librarians (CENL).

Reference libraries
A reference library does not lend books and other items; instead, they must be read
at the library itself. Typically, such libraries are used for research purposes, for
example at a university. Some items at reference libraries may be historical and
even unique. Many lending libraries contain a "reference section", which holds
books, such as dictionaries, which are common reference books, and are therefore
not lent out.[147] Such reference sections may be referred to as "reading rooms",
which may also include newspapers and periodicals.[148] An example of a reading
room is the Hazel H. Ransom Reading Room at the Harry Ransom Center of the
University of Texas at Austin, which maintains the papers of literary agent Audrey
Wood.

Digital libraries
Digital libraries are libraries that house digital resources. They are defined as an
organization and not a service that provide access to digital works, have a
preservation responsibility to provide future access to materials, and provides these
items easily and affordably. The definition of a digital library implies that "a digital
library uses a variety of software, networking technologies and standards to facilitate
access to digital content and data to a designated user community." Access to digital
42
libraries can be influenced by several factors, either individually or together. The
most common factors that influence access are: The library's content, the
characteristics and information needs of the target users, the library's digital
interface, the goals and objectives of the library's organizational structure, and the
standards and regulations that govern library use. Access will depend on the users
ability to discover and retrieve documents that interest them and that they require,
which in turn is a preservation question. Digital objects cannot be preserved
passively, they must be curated by digital librarians to ensure the trust and integrity
of the digital objects.

One of the biggest considerations for digital librarians is the need to provide long-
term access to their resources; to do this, there are two issues requiring
watchfulness: Media failure and format obsolescence. With media failure, a particular
digital item is unusable because of some sort of error or problem. A scratched CD-
Rom, for example, will not display its contents correctly, but another, unscratched
disk will not have that problem. Format obsolescence is when a digital format has
been superseded by newer technology, and so items in the old format are
unreadable and unusable. Dealing with media failure is a reactive process, because
something is done only when a problem presents itself. In contrast, format
obsolescence is preparatory, because changes are anticipated and solutions are
sought before there is a problem.

Special libraries
All other libraries fall into the "special library" category. Many private businesses and
public organizations, including hospitals, churches, museums, research laboratories,
law firms, and many government departments and agencies, maintain their own
libraries for the use of their employees in doing specialized research related to their
work. Depending on the particular institution, special libraries may or may not be
accessible to the general public or elements thereof. In more specialized institutions
such as law firms and research laboratories, librarians employed in special libraries
are commonly specialists in the institution's field rather than generally trained
librarians, and often are not required to have advanced degrees in specifically
library-related field due to the specialized content and clientele of the library.
43
Special libraries can also include women's libraries or LGBTQ libraries, which serve
the needs of women and the LGBTQ community. Libraries and the LGBTQ
community have an extensive history, and there are currently many libraries,
archives, and special collections devoted to preserving and helping the LGBTQ
community. Women's libraries, such as the Vancouver Women's Library or the
Women's Library @LSE are examples of women's libraries that offer services to
women and girls and focus on women's history.

Some special libraries, such as governmental law libraries, hospital libraries, and
military base libraries commonly are open to public visitors to the institution in
question. Depending on the particular library and the clientele it serves, special
libraries may offer services similar to research, reference, public, academic, or
children's libraries, often with restrictions such as only lending books to patients at a
hospital or restricting the public from parts of a military collection. Given the highly
individual nature of special libraries, visitors to a special library are often advised to
check what services and restrictions apply at that particular library.

The Library and its Personnel

The typical library staff consists of three levels of employees: professional librarians,
support staff, and part-time assistants. The proportion of each of these in any given
institution depends on the type of library, its budget, and the types of users it serves.
Professional librarians usually constitute the smallest number of a library’s
employees. Most professional librarians have earned at least a master’s degree in
library science or information science, the study of information and the manner in
which it is generated, recorded, stored, retrieved, transmitted, and used. Some
professional librarians have earned additional graduate degrees also.

Professional librarians require a wide range of skills and talents. They must
have solid bibliographic and technological skills, as well as strong communication
and interpersonal abilities. Advances in library technologies have also led to a high
demand for professional skills such as database searching and competence in using
the Internet and other computer networks and systems.The librarian in charge of
administering the entire institution is usually referred to as the director. Other
44
professional librarians typically administer the library’s various departments. In small
libraries, however, the director may be solely responsible for managing all of the
library’s departments. In addition to their managerial work, professional librarians
assume primary responsibility for providing reference assistance, developing and
managing the collections, and overseeing cataloging.

Nonprofessional support staff commonly assume most of the responsibility for

directly serving library users. Their activities include essential functions such as
inputting, coding, and verifying bibliographic and other data; ordering library
materials; assisting with catalog development; performing circulation duties such as
checking out books to users; and performing other services vital to the library’s daily
operation.

Most libraries employ part-time staff members in addition to full-time

professional and support staff. Part-time staff members typically shelve books,
perform low-level clerical duties, and carry out other relatively simple but essential
tasks. In academic libraries, large numbers of part-time student-assistants play a
critical role in the day-to-day functioning of the library. Public libraries also hire so-
called library pages to help perform tasks that require no professional training, such
as shelving books and periodicals. In addition, many public libraries make use of
community volunteers to assist library staff in simple tasks. Many professional
librarians were first attracted to the profession while they were working as library
assistants, pages, or volunteers.

In small libraries, librarians might perform a range of tasks, with one or two
librarians and possibly a clerk handling all of the activities of the library. Because of
the small size of the staff, a single librarian might combine clerical and professional
tasks. In large libraries, the support staff have taken on many of the tasks previously
performed by professionals. Much of this transfer of responsibility has been made
possible by the introduction of relatively simple and efficient computer technology,
which has permitted support staff to accomplish large portions of cataloging that
were once done by professionals.

Additionally, while professional librarians usually manage library functions

such as circulation and acquisition, support staff or part-time workers often perform
the bulk of the actual tasks in these departments. The patterns of library staffing vary
45
from country to country. In general, libraries in more developed countries distinguish
clearly between the tasks done by professional and nonprofessional staff. In less
developed countries, the smaller size of staffs and a lack of new, efficient computer
technology have made this separation more difficult.

Library assistants or technicians might do any of the following: shelving (in the
absence of shelvers), circulation duties (check in, check out, supervision), derived
cataloguing, programming, ordering, answering ready reference questions or
materials processing. Librarians might do any of the following professional tasks:
book selection, original cataloguing, making library policy, evaluating performance of
others, answering more complex reference questions, or dealing with the complaints
and concerns of patrons. Librarians may do nonprofessional tasks in the absence of
technicians and shelvers. Library technicians and assistants may do professional
tasks in the absence of professional staff. A library is more than a place, more than
books and films and records. Basically a library is a gathering of ideas, of
information-put in order and shared.

Thus, most libraries are not run by librarians alone. If it were not for other
library workers, in many places a person could not get a library card, find a clipping
in the vertical file, use a microfilm reader, or take out a book. On any given day, one
person may return half a dozen books, a magazine or two, and several records to
the library. Multiply that by several hundred or several thousand and the result is a
mountain of materials that must be sorted and put back in the right place. This is
usually the work of a library page. Sorting and shelving are also done by temporary
student employees, or student assistants. Pages have to be accurate-a book or
magazine or record misplaced is as good as lost for days, weeks, or months.

Library clerks work out in front or behind the scenes. A clerk who deals with
the public may help a youngster register for a library card; check materials in and
out, collect overdue fines, help renew or reserve materials, or show someone how to
operate a copying machine. A copying machine or charge-out machine can be
mastered in a matter of minutes. What can't be mastered as easily is a pleasant
attitude toward all people, springing from a desire to help them. Such an attitude is a
must for all library people dealing with the public.

46
 A clerk who prefers to work behind the scenes may file and keep records,
check in new materials and get them ready for use, type overdue notices in libraries
where this isn't done by computer, operate a teletype, feed a computer the
information needed to order a book or record or film. Both out-front and behindthe-
scenes clerks need a high school diploma usually, or the ability to pass a civil service
exam. All clerks work under the supervision of a librarian or library aide, and student
assistants often do clerical work.

Library aides assist with many of the librarian's jobs. A library aide dealing
with the public may help people find materials, answer easier reference questions,
explain the library's services. Behind-the-scenes aides may operate audiovisual
equipment, arrange displays, keep up the vertical file, look up prices and other
information the librarian needs to order materials, supervise pages and clerks. For
supervising others, aides must be tactful, firm, and able to follow the librarian's
instructions as well as translate those instructions to others. A job as library aide
requires at least a high school diploma, and many who do such work are library
technicians, with two years of college. Aides who are college graduates are
sometimes called library associates. Often they and library technicians do the more
skilled types of library work.

Other library workers include audiovisual technicians to inspect and repair

the audiovisual hardware of a library, book repairers to mend and rebind books and
other materials, artists and photographers to prepare displays and public relations
materials, and maintenance workers to keep library buildings in good condition.
People with advanced training in related fields such as computer science and
accounting also work in libraries.

From the foregoing, it becomes obvious that without people, a library would
be a mere place, a warehouse. Above all it is people using a library who make it
come alive, but people are also needed to make a library work. Even the
computerized memory cells of the future could not function without library people;
namely: the professionals called librarians and the many who help them. Thus, in
conclusion, librarians are said to have many different faces such that a librarian in a
modern school may be called a media specialist. In a computerized business library,
the librarian may be called an information scientist, or documentalist. There are
47
children's librarians and young adult librarians in public libraries, institutional
librarians in hospital and prison libraries, university librarians in university libraries.
All librarians, whatever their work, have this in common: they are members of a
profession in the service of mankind- like teachers, like doctors. Librarians also
share knowledge and skills learned in college, in library school after college, and on
the job.

2.6 Library Collections

A Dictionary answers questions about words. It gives meanings and spellings of a

word, tells how it may be pronounced, breaks it up into syllables, shows where it
came from, even lists synonyms and antonyms. At the tops of pages, guide words
show first and last words on a page. They help in finding words faster. In the back
may be special sections-facts about famous people, facts about places. In the front,
how to use the dictionary is usually explained.

A General Encyclopaedia, usually a set of books, covers just about every subject. It
has information about people, places, and things. Like a dictionary, an encyclopedia
is alphabetically arranged. Every year parts of it are brought up to date, and a
yearbook that goes along with it is put out. To help find information, an encyclopedia
has outside guides (letters printed on the spine of each book, showing what part of
the alphabet it covers), inside guides (guide words on top of each page), headings
and subheadings to break up larger subjects, and an index. Some encyclopedias are
devoted to only one subject, such as religion, the sciences, psychology, or art. These
are called subject encyclopedias.

An Atlas is a book of maps. It also contains charts, tables, and other geographical
facts. There are political maps to locate countries and cities, rivers and mountains;
physical maps to show the highs and lows of the land; economic maps to show
farming and business and industry; historical maps to show important places and
events in history. To read a map, a person needs to know the map symbols. These
are explained in the front part of an atlas. The index in back helps locate places on a
map.

48
A Gazetteer is a geographical dictionary. Names of places, rivers, mountains, and
so on are listed in alphabetical order. From a gazetteer a person can find out such
facts as where a place is, how many people live in it, the height of a mountain, the
length of a river. ‘Webster's Geographical Dictionary' is an example of a popular
gazetteer.

Yearbooks, Almanacs, and Handbooks are sometimes hard to tell apart. A

yearbook mostly reviews the important happenings or facts of a particular year.
Examples include encyclopaedia yearbooks. An almanac, too, comes out every year.
But it concentrates more on giving up-to-date facts about hundreds of subjects
sports, births and deaths, foreign countries, famous people, radio and TV, dams and
rivers. One of the best known is ‘The World Almanac and Book of Facts'. It is one of
the very few reference books in English with the index in front.

A handbook is a guide to a particular subject. Examples include ‘Crowell's Handbook

of Classical Mythology', ‘Guinness Book of World Records', and ‘Chilton's Auto
Repair Manual'.

A Biographical Dictionary is a book of important people's names, with facts about

their lives. Order is alphabetical by last name. Some biographical dictionaries list
only living people (‘Who's Who'), others only dead people (‘Who Was Who'). Some
biographical dictionaries list people from many countries, others from only one
country. Before using a biographical dictionary, it's important to know whether a
person is still alive and what country that person comes from. Who is and isn't
included is explained in the front part of the book.

A Book of Quotations is used to find out who said something worth quoting and
exactly what the words were. It's a collection of phrases and sentences, usually from
the works of many authors. But some such collections are from one author (Walt
Whitman) or work (the Bible). Quotations may be arranged alphabetically by subject
or by author-either alphabetically or by date, from ancient to modern times. Each
such book has a large index that includes not only the subjects of quotations but also
the key words.

An Index can be a book by itself. It tells where to find information and items in other
books or materials. ‘Index to Plays in Collections', for instance, tells in which book or
books a particular play can be found. To read49an index, a person has to understand
the many abbreviations explained in front of the book. A person may also have to
ask the librarian for help in getting materials mentioned in the index. Generally not all
of them are in the library.

A Bibliography, too, can be a book by itself. Some bibliographies not only list books
and other materials but tell something about them. Often a bibliography is on a
particular subject.

A Directory gives information about people, organizations, or institutions. Names

and addresses are listed. A telephone book is a directory.

Dictionaries and Encyclopaedias are probably the most used of all the types of
library collections. They are also the first works to consult, as a rule. It's difficult to
look up a subject that is not spelled right or to find out about things that aren't

clearly understood. Those are the problems a Dictionary can help solve. An
encyclopaedia, too, can make things clearer. In trying to find out about a subject, the
person who checks the Encyclopaedia first-even before the catalogue-can get a
fast focus on the big picture.

Even an Encyclopaedia is just the beginning. In each subject, there are hundreds of
special reference works such as Handbooks, Indexes, and Bibliographies.
Someone who wants to dig has to find out what the reference works in a particular
subject have to offer. It's also important to check more than one reference work to
compare different ways of looking at the same facts.

Non-books: magazines and newspapers. Because it takes time to put out a book,
even a brand-new one is yesterday's facts. For many kinds of information-the height
of a mountain, the spelling of a word-newness is not too important. Such things
aren't likely to change or change much for a long time. But for what is happening
now, special kinds of materials are needed. These include magazines and
newspapers.

A Magazine comes out periodically-weekly, twice a month, monthly. So magazines

are sometimes called periodicals. Every six months or so, a library puts the back
issues of some magazines together and has them bound in book covers. This is
called a volume.

50
A Card in the catalogue tells the name of a magazine, which volumes are in the
library, and so on. But if someone wants articles on a certain subject, the card won't
help. For that kind of information, there are special indexes. Of these, probably the
best known is the ‘Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature', which indexes articles of
about 150 magazines. Like those magazines, ‘Readers' Guide' itself is a periodical.
So it comes in volumes, each volume covering one or two years, with the dates
printed on the spine.

More Non-books: Vertical File. Every library has a place for clippings. Such things
as newspaper articles on local people and places are worth cutting out and keeping.
This is also true of special articles and pictures from magazines.

Clippings are usually put in folders, alphabetically arranged by subject. The Folders
are kept in a Deep-drawer Cabinet called a Vertical File. There are no catalogue
cards for individual clippings, but many catalogue have cross reference cards to the
subjects in the file.

The Vertical File has Pamphlets, too. These are paperbound booklets, each often
dealing with one subject. Like newspapers and magazines, many pamphlets give
fast, up-to-date facts-on jobs, for instance-too new to be in books. Information that's
hard to get elsewhere often comes in pamphlet form. Some libraries have special
shelves or boxes for pamphlets, where they are arranged by subject. There are
indexes for pamphlets as well as for magazines. The Vertical File Index is widely
known.

A Vertical File may also include maps, charts, graphs, posters, postcards, photos,
and even sheet music. Some such items may be kept in a separate place-in a
picture file or map file, for example.

Non-books: Talking and otherwise. The what of a library is books, including

paperbacks; magazines and newspapers; clippings and pamphlets and other vertical
file materials; and more, much more. Anything that is to learn with and to dream with-
is the stuff of libraries. There are records and sound tapes of music, poetry,
language lessons; videotapes of neighbourhood people and places, of amateur
plays. For would-be artists and art lovers, color slides of buildings and paintings and
sculpture are available.
51
Films and filmstrips show the growth of a plant, the pollution of a stream, the agony
of a violin lesson. Not even the best map shows relationships between places as well
as a globe, so libraries have globes and other models. Specimens are sometimes
arranged to show how a piece of tree becomes a pencil, or how crude oil is taken
from the ground and shipped to refineries to be changed into gasoline. Large
amounts of printed material can be photographically reduced for storage on
microfilm.

Then, there are Mini-non-books: Microfilm, Micro-card, Micro fiche. These hold
greatly reduced pictures of newspapers, magazines, and book pages that must be
read with machines. The way records, films, and other non-book materials are
arranged varies from one library to another. Such materials may be listed in the main
catalogue or in separate catalogue near where they are kept.

52
LIBRARY STANDARDS (NEUFERT BUILDING STANDARDS)

53
54
55
CASE STUDIES

1. Parliament Library,
New Delhi

The recently completed

Parliament Library in New
Delhi, India is a response to
its monumental context and
yet is ingenious in its
originality. Designed by
architect RAJ REWAL, the
library is a fine example of
postcolonial Indian
architecture. It displays high
technology with a regional
expression, it is modern yet
rooted in precolonial history, and it responds thoughtfully to its challenging colonial
and political context.

The library is adjacent to the Indian Parliament building, which is a key element of
the colonial plan of the city of New Delhi. Designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert
Baker in the first half of the 20th century, the city plan includes India Gate (the
National War Memorial), Rajpath (the grand ceremonial parade route), and the
Rashtrapati Bhavan (the president's house, designed by Lutyens for the viceroy).
Baker's Parliament building is to the north of the Rajpath.

Each of these monuments was designed to display imperial power. In the words of
Lord Stamfordham, private secretary to British King George V in the early 20th
century, New Delhi was designed to let Indians "see for the first time the power of
Western science, art, and civilization."

CONCEPT

To give the library an identity of its own while respecting the Parliament building,
Rewal says he drew on Indian history and likened the relationship between buildings
to the traditional relationship between guru and king. A guru acknowledges the
56
power of the king — neither confronting nor submitting — and retains the strength of
his integrity as a sage.

Hence, Rewal decided to sink part of the library underground, leaving two of the four
floors above grade. The terrace of the library aligns with the first floor level of the
Parliament building. Only the domes of the library rise higher. The sight lines leading
to the colonnade and entablature of the Parliament are left unobstructed.

Also, the exterior walls of the library are clad in the same red and beige sandstone
as that used in the Parliament building. This local stone has been used extensively in
northern and northwestern India through the centuries and therefore expresses
regionalism. In these two decisions regarding height and materials, the guru
acknowledges the power of the king. But the guru's wisdom and integrity are
demonstrated in the architecture of the library.

The plan of the building is inspired by precolonial Indian architecture such as the
magnificent Taj Mahal, with its square base and symmetrical composition.

The plan of the richly adorned Datia Palace (1614 A.D.) in central India is said to be
reminiscent of the ancient Indian mandala. The mandala has deep existential and
spiritual meaning and is said to be used in temple architecture to achieve a spiritual
experience of one's connection with the cosmos.

Another inspiration is the Adinatha Temple (1439 A.D.) at Ranakpur in western India.
Adinatha is square in plan, with cardinal axes meeting at the centre, leaving open-to-
sky courtyards in the leftover spaces. In addition to being icons of Indian
architecture, courtyard plans admit daylight and have social and climatic advantages.

Historically, Indian buildings with interior open-air spaces helped in defense. But for
Rewal, in a library that needs neither defence nor ceremony, such forms seem to
symbolize an introversion characteristic of the ancient Indian guru.

57
The Site and the Building

Located on a 10-acre (4-

hectare) site, the library is
nearly 590,000 square feet
(55,000 square meters) in
area and can accommodate
three million volumes on the
two basement floors. It has hi-
tech networks and facilities for
microfilm, multimedia, and
satellite links.

Site conditions and trees

prohibited the northwestern
corner of the plan from being
built, leaving the square
incomplete. Otherwise the
plan, with its courtyards and
axes, is similar to historic
precedents.

The full-height central core of

the building, formed at the
point of intersection of the two
axes, houses the reading room for members of parliament (MPs), the research area
and archival storage, committee room, and a banquet hall. Beyond this central core
are the courtyards, and further beyond are separate entrance lobbies for MPs,
scholars, and the public.

The corners of the incomplete square and the nodes formed at the ends of the axes
are designated for various functions. The axes and the sides of the square form
corridors and outline the courtyards.

58
Each courtyard symbolizes one aspect of the Indian constitution. One is an
amphitheatre, symbolizing freedom of expression. Another courtyard has a pool of
water symbolizing equality. A tree forms the focal point of the third courtyard,
representing social justice.

Technology and
Structure

The domes are

perhaps the building's
most significant
feature. Several
domes of different
sizes and types make
up the roof and benefit
from Rewal's
experiments in earlier
buildings.

The central dome, spanning 82 feet (25 meters), is entirely of glass that was

specially developed for this building. The intense heat and glare of New Delhi, with
summer temperatures rising to over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees
Centigrade), make conventional glass impractical for skylights.Yet Rewal insisted on
using glass to let in light. Conventional reflective glass reduces glare and heat build-
up, and this specially developed glass is claimed to be still more efficient in resisting
heat transfer. The result: almost magical views of the blue sky, of the sun minus its
heat and glare, and of the seasonal monsoon clouds.

59
This dome reminds you that
you are standing at the
intersection of the building's
two main axes. The point of
intersection projects up in the
dome in the form of two
bands formed by the
structural frame for the glass
panels. The remainder of the
dome consists of a lattice of
structural frames held
together by a network of steel cables converging at key tension nodes.

Other domes are made of thin fiber-reinforced concrete shells, sometimes with inset
glass panels. Tensile forces are transferred through tubular steel members.

Other structural elements of the building are of reinforced concrete. The slabs are

60
coffered to support long spans. The diaphragm walls and the foundation slab of the
underground structure resist inward and upward pressure from the water table
through anchors into the surrounding soil and the rocky substrate.

Traditional Craft — Modernist Idiom

Some Eastern architects are exploring ways to merge traditional architectural forms
and modernism. One such attempt is Rewal's use of handcrafted stone grills, or jalis.
In precolonial Indian architecture, jalis were used for decoration and to separate the
outside from the inside, to diffuse the harsh sunlight, and to visually and audibly
connect two spaces while physically separating them.

Sadly, the lack of patronage for Indian craftsmanship by the British during their
nearly 200-year colonial rule almost destroyed the rich tradition. Rewal has
introduced craftsmen to modern tools and chemicals hoping that they will revive the
tradition. In the Parliament Library, jalis are integrated artfully, creating a typically
Indian look.

Rewal's search for a contemporary Indian identity does not stop there. The building
typology and the spirituality associated with the mandala are quintessentially Indian.
He has created contemporary Indian architecture that uses innovative technology to
express both modernity and regionalism with connections to the physical
surroundings and to a venerable history.

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2 Sri Venkateswara College Library

About SVC Library

The college has a Main Library and 17 Departmental Libraries that collectively
support the teaching, research and extension programs of the college. The library is
fully automated and functioning with an objective of providing library services to its
members in order to promote an educational excellence in Sri Venkateswara
College.

Library facilitates and promotes effective and interactive access to Information

resources for its users. In the area of physical facilities, the library offers safe,
comfortable, well lighted, clean space, with suitable seating arrangement to ensure
effective use of reading materials including digital resources. It also considered the
study space needs for persons with disabilities while rendering the services and
arranging facilities for them.

Layout and Floor Plans

62
Ground floor
 Property Counter, Check Point, Drinking Water Facilities (RO with water
cooler) and Washrooms (both for boys and girls)
 Librarian Room
 Acquisition and Technical Processing Section
 Circulation Section and Reading Hall, Faculty Reading Room
 Facilities for Visually Impaired (ICT enabled)
 Reference Section
 OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue)
 Books Stack Area:
 Sciences (Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Botany, Zoology,
 Chemistry, Physics and Electronics)
 Commerce and Economics
 Mathematics and Statistics

First floor
 Arts (History, Sociology, Tourism, Law, PoliticalScience and Public
Administration)
 Languages and literature (English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit)
 Religion and Yoga
 Philosophy

Functional Units
 Acquisition Section
Purchases books and other information resources by processing requests,
Physical Verification, Duplication check, Price Proof check, ordering,
accessioning and Receiving documents, processing the bills for payment
 Circulation section
It comprises the activities like membership registrations, renewals,
cancellations, generating barcode IDs, Check-in / Checkout, Binding works,
Issue of No-dues, Assisting students in OPAC, overdue collection,Weeding
out, Maintaining and updatng records of the Dept.
 Stack Area
63
 where books and other literary documents are kept for borrowing or
reference and these are arranged according Dewey
Decimal Classification.
 ICT (Library Networking, Automation, CCTV Surveillance,Access to E-
Resources, Facilities for visually impaired, WebOPAC, WI-Fi, Library
portal, Digital Library Management, CMS and Social Networking etc.)
All sections has been connected thru LAN. Users may contact for any
computerized services, like OPAC, CD ROMs and access to Electronic
resources, printing of barcode labels, spine labels, scanning and printing for
VI and faculty membe.rs
 Technical Processing Section (Classifying, Cataloguing, Assigning
Subject Headings)
 Reference Section
 Readers may approach the Reference Desk for information or any
assistance in the use of the Library Collections and Services. The library
consists of various encyclopaedias, dictionaries, year books, biographies,
best sellers, noble laurites and other reference books.
 Transcript and Reprographic section
Readers may approach for Transcript service, Photocopy of syllabus and
previous year question papers, Recommendation of Membership to other
libraries like CSL, South Campus Library, DPL, TML, British Council Library
and American Library. Arranged Laptops and assistive devices for Visually
Impaired.
 Check Point
A person desirous of using the Library shall enter his/her ID Number, name,
time in, and put signature in the register kept at the Check Point. The library
materials taken out by any student / staff from the library are checked at this
point.
 Faculty Reading Room (Air-conditioned)& Display of Faculty
Publications
 Periodicals Section
Subscribing, receiving, maintaining and renewing of journals, magazines and
newspaper can taken care by this section. A journal, on completion of its
64
 volume will be processed for binding. After the binding is over, the volume will
be accessioned and added to the Back Volume shelf. Necessary reading
tables and chairs are provided for reading and reference.
 Reading Room
The library has a well ventilated reading room with natural day light, Wi-Fi
connectivity, good air, elegant atmosphere to concentrate and focus more on
studies, accommodating 90 students approximately. The students and faculty
can have access to all the reference books like encyclopedias, dictionaries
and current periodicals and newspapers in the same hall.

Information Services for Users

 Acquisition of Information resources, processing, storing, organizing and
disseminating
 User Orientation and Awareness Programme
 Circulation Service (Membership Registrations, Renewals, Books Issue /
Returns, Recommendation to other libraries etc.)
 Reference Service and Referral Service
 Transcript service
 Compilation of short bibliographies on request
 Literature search service from online debases
 Access to E-Resources (E-Journals, electronic databases and e-books)
 Facilities for Visually Impaired
 News Paper Clipping (DU and other Education News)
 OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) and web OPAC
 Reprographic and scanning service

Library Automation

 The Library uses LSEase (Libsys), an integrated multi-user library in house

management system which It consists of modules on acquisition, cataloguing,
circulation, serials control, article indexing.
 WEB-OPAC - Bibliographic information of all the library holdings available in
the library can be accessed through the WEBOPAC.

Technology used in circulation section 65

Barcode Technology:

The library using barcoding technology for its books which is a predefined format of
dark bars and white spaces. The advantages are accuracy, time saving, reduced
cost of transaction, operation efficiency.

Smart Card System:

Smart cards are made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes
polyethylene terephthalate based polyesters, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or
polycarbonate. Since April 2009, a Japanese company has manufactured reusable
financial smart cards made from paper.

Significant Initiatives by the Library Committee

 Well Stocked Library with Open Access System.

 Fully Automated Library using LIBSYS with of Barcode technology and Smart
Card for check in / check out. . Installation of New Linux Server.
 Faculty Reading Room with air- conditioning.
 Wi-Fi internet connectivity with high speed broad bandwidth.
 CCTV surveillance with Digital Voice Recording.
 Touch Screen Kiosk for visually challenged with JAWS enabled.
 Laptops / Notebooks and Angel voice reorders to all the visually
 Impaired students and EOC in library.
 Daisy format resources and braille materials for Visually Impaired.
 Installation of Fire extinguishers.
 10 KV Power Backup (Online UPS).
 Access to E-Resources by UGC- INFONET Digital Library Consortium & N-
List.
 Free distribution of weeded out books to students and staff.
 R.O. drinking water facility to all the library visitors.
 Fully secured baggage counters.

66
Facilities for Visually Impaired
 The Library delivers special services to the visually impaired students by
providing an assistive technologies with support of Equal Opportunity Cell of
College as well as DULS.
 The library has two desktops and 2 notebooks installed with JAWS (screen
reading softwares), Kurzweil 1000 (OCR software) and computer
headphones. In addition, to this two flatbed scanners and 01 Lexcam scanner
is provided. Library has issued Angle Daisy Player (Digital Voice recorder) to
each student to record their classroom lectures.
 Providing reading materials in braille script.
 The library provides awareness to access to 12,000 books in 10 different
languages in a user-friendly format developed by NIVH under Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment. http://www.oblindia.org/en/login

E-Resources

The library has an access to electronic information resources subscribed by Delhi

University Library System (DULS) and UGC Infonet in order to facilitate scholarly
content to the faculty and students.

Types of E-Resources

 Online Databases (Full Text / Bibliographic / Citation Index / Abstract)

 Electronic Journals
 E-Books (N-List)
 Statistical Sources

NEW TRENDS IN THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE PRACTICE

Introduction

A library is a collection of information, sources, resources and services, organized for

use, and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. In the
more traditional sense, it means a collection of books. This collection and services
are used by people who choose not to-or cannot afford topurchase an extensive
67
collection themselves, who need material no individual can reasonably be expected
to have, or who require professional assistance with their research. However, with
the collection of media other than books for storing information, many libraries are
now also repositories and access points for maps, prints or other documents and
artworks on various storage media such as microfilm, microfiche, audio tapes, CDs,
LPs, cassettes, video tapes and DVDs, and provide public facilities to access CD-
ROM and subscription databases and the Internet.

The Trends

Modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted

access to information in many formats and from many sources. In addition to
providing materials, they also provide the services of specialists who are experts in
matters related to finding and organizing information and interpreting information
needs, called librarians.

More recently, libraries are understood as extending beyond the physical walls of a
building, by including material accessible by electronic means, and by providing the
assistance of librarians in navigating and analyzing tremendous amounts of
knowledge with a variety of digital tools. The term "library" has itself acquired a
secondary meaning: "a collection of useful material for common use," and in this
sense is used in fields such as computer science, mathematics and statistics,
electronics and biology.

Libraries are faced with an increasingly unmanageable quantity of information.

Fortunately, the availability of sophisticated computer technology and the willingness
of librarians to adopt it have helped libraries to meet the needs of users. Libraries
now have information data bases and computerized indexes and catalogs.
Computers, especially personal computers (PCs), are now used in nearly all library
functions, from ordering and cataloging library materials to providing on-line
information. Although manual catalogs still exist in many libraries, an increasing
number of libraries are converting to computer-based catalogs called on-line public
access catalogs (OPACs).

68
Libraries want to make their collections available not only to those who come into the
library but also to remote users who need to have access to library resources from
their homes or offices. Such remote access is offered around the clock, including
weekends. For example, some public libraries’ on-line catalogues, especially in the
advanced countries, offer access not only to their catalogues but also to various
periodical indexes, catalogues of other cooperating libraries, bulletin boards, and
other information data bases.

Traditionally, to overcome the problems of storage and access caused by the growth
of information, libraries have acquired documents on microfilm and microfiche, which
make it possible to store a large amount of information in little space. For example,
one microfiche card can hold up to 1,000 pages of a book and an ultra-fiche can hold
up to 3,000 pages. The introduction of compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM)
technology has revolutionized the way the information is stored, accessed, and
retrieved.

A CD-ROM has a large storage capacity and can hold an entire encyclopedia and
other reference sources. It can store about 250,000 pages of text, 7,000 pictures,
and 72 minutes of video. Multimedia CD-ROMs provide access to standard text and
also allow manipulation of visuals, sound, and animation. A wide range of products,
such as periodical indexes, full-text reference sources, and fulltext periodicals, are
now available on CD-ROMs. Although CD-ROMs were originally designed to be
handled by just one person at a time, networking and multi-drive players now provide
multiuser access.

Participation in multi-type library networks (networks composed of several kinds of

libraries, such as school, special, academic, and public) has helped librarians cope
with the rapid growth of information. This has resulted in coordinated collection
development, resource sharing, and a more efficient reference service. Cooperation
among libraries and library networks is growing rapidly in the United States. The
availability and affordability of PCs and telecommunication technology have played
major roles in library automation and networking. For example, OCLC (Online
Computer Library Center), a

bibliographic and data base vendor, provides remote on-line services for thousands
of libraries.
69
Regional and state networks have been formed to provide their members such
services as shared cataloging and access to materials located in other libraries. For
example, in Illinois there are about 2,600 libraries belonging to 17 regional library
systems, and these systems belong to ILLINET (Illinois Library and Information
Network). A statewide system for material delivery, ILLINET Online, and
ILLINET/OCLC are some of the services available to ILLINET members. ILLINET
Online is a computerized library catalog that provides information about materials
located at some 800 Illinois libraries. Anyone with a personal computer or a terminal
with a modem may dial into ILLINET Online.

There are also other types of networks that serve only certain kinds of library, such
as academic and research libraries. The CARL (Colorado Alliance of Research
Libraries) system, for example, has projects that include the cooperative purchase of
expensive materials and support for the loading of non-bibliographic and
nontraditional data bases on its network.

The success of resource sharing through various electronic systems depends on

good delivery systems. The installation of facsimile, or fax, machines in libraries has
played a major role in speeding delivery of documents. Photocopying still remains a
fast, cheap, and easy way of making copies of parts of books, magazines,
newspapers, and other materials for users. Copyright law regulates the photocopying
of published material. Libraries should be aware of the copyright regulations and the
law's fair-use provisions, which allow some photocopying and exchanging of
photocopies among libraries or users. The emergence of photocopying has become
useful to research and scholarship; for example, research that involves rare books
could not be accomplished as easily without photocopying.

The power of automation has even reached bookmobiles, which are used to make
libraries accessible to many people. On-line bookmobiles feature automated
circulation systems, CD-ROM workstations, copiers, or fax machines. With cellular
telephone technology, many bookmobiles have full on-line access to the library's
main collection. The more advanced technologies are often too expensive for smaller
libraries. However, to a large extent, the use of inexpensive, powerful PCs in library
automation has unmistakably changed the services libraries provide and how they
operate.
70
IMPLICATIONS OF THE TRENDS FOR LIBRARY SERVICES DELIVERY

Introduction

Libraries throughout the world provide citizens with public access to networked
information. With the adopting of emerging technologies, libraries seek to facilitate
information retrieval more thoroughly, effectively and attractively. Libraries need to
establish a service profile across the community. They cannot afford to be tucked
away in intimidating buildings or on obscure sites. They need to increase the visibility
and accessibility of their services. For instance, library information kiosks need to
become a regular feature in shopping centres, licensed clubs and community
facilities.

The Implications

In the past, learning institutions were designed to disperse information and

knowledge. Educators assumed that students were like an empty vessel. Rote
learning simply had to be poured into them. In the future, learning institutions will
need to help people to manage information. The vessel is, in fact, already full. The
challenge for the education system is to draw out and develop the learning interests
and capabilities of its students. Information management is critical to this task. It is
possible to conceptualize two types of knowledge: the subjects we already know
well; and the ones we know how to find out about. This reflects the true meaning of
the information age: information access is power.

Libraries are well suited to this challenge. They offer a range of learning resources,
rather than formal courses. They have the capacity to act as learning brokers-
building their services around individual users; customizing the delivery of materials
to suit the information needs of particular clients. This is also a revenue opportunity
for libraries. In the new economy, a growing proportion of disposable income is being

71
spent on information services. Libraries need to tap into this market, particularly
among knowledge workers and information based corporations.

In the past, learning institutions were positioned within a strict educational hierarchy.
Universities were at the top of this pecking order, with a monopoly on research
functions and funding. Community education providers such as libraries were often
positioned at the bottom of the hierarchy. In the future, all learning institutions will
need to develop research capabilities. This is one of the consequences of the
information age-it is flattening the traditional hierarchy and opening up new sources
of knowledge creation. Higher education has lost its 900 year monopoly on the
development and distribution of knowledge. It faces intense competition from
entrepreneurs in both the business and social sectors. The Internet and digital TV
are making the tools of research widely available.

Libraries can play a creative role in this process. They can provide a venue and
resources for self starting researchers, offering a range of information management
services. Partnerships of this kind have tremendous commercial possibilities.
Libraries should no longer restrict their role to the dispersal of information. In the
information age, they need to be part of the creation of knowledge.

In the past, learning institutions were organized around a single use. In the future,
they will need to function on a multipurpose basis. Libraries are a logical focal point
for the delivery of relevant services, especially in regional and remote areas. They
also have enormous potential as a service provider in adult and community
education. For lifelong learning to achieve universality, libraries, with their impressive
resources and information management skills, can usefully add to the delivery of
adult and community education services. They should position themselves at the
centre of community based learning.

In the past, learning institutions were designed as standalone organizations. The

education system, as with much of the public sector, has functioned like a series of
silos, with little collaboration between service providers. In the future, learning
institutions will need to be heavily networked. This is the nature of the new
technology. Advanced IT allows the centre of an organization to communicate
directly with its component parts. It flattens organizational hierarchies and facilitates
the creation of new alliances and partnerships.
72
Libraries need to join the network revolution by forming a series of alliances with
community groups committed to lifelong learning. This is an opportunity for creative
policy making-identifying fresh opportunities for the extension of library services. Two
examples of what this might mean in practice are as provided here. Libraries should
be part of this initiative, offering information management services. As new learners
join the program, they can then be introduced to the advantages of library use. This
is an effective way of breaking down the attitudinal barriers to lifelong learning
among adult learners. It is a good example of a partnership model.

The benefit of community education lies in the relevance of its curriculum, plus its
use of informal settings. Libraries need to be part of this experience. They need to be
proactive in forming collaborative partnerships across the community. In the past,
learning institutions were quite insular, working on the premise that students and
clients would come to them. In the future, they will need to develop a range of
outreach programs, bringing disadvantaged groups into contact with the learning
process. Libraries need to become agents of this socially inclusive approach. They
need to further develop their housebound services, teaching people with disabilities
how to use the internet and access library materials online. They need to become
more user friendly, again harnessing the potential of the net.

In the past, learning institutions delivered their services within built facilities-books,
bricks and mortar. Obviously in the future, the supply of online services will increase.
Public libraries cannot afford to be left behind in this process. In the past learning
institutions had to scramble and compete for scarce public resources. Left wing
politics has argued for the primacy of public funding. Right wing politics has argued
for funding deregulation and greater reliance on the private sector. In the future,
learning institutions will need to leverage additional resources from all parts of
society. This is the logic of lifelong learning. It is such a huge task-all citizens
learning through all parts of their lives-that it cannot be achieved from a single
resource base. All sections of a learning society; such as governments, corporations,
households and communities, need to do more. The challenge for public policy is to
mobilize these resources in an equitable fashion. This is why the partnerships model
is so important. Through seed funding and other pilot programs, governments can
bring organizations closer together, establishing synergies of educational effort.
73
For libraries, this is the critical agenda. They need to think the unthinkable: forming
alliances with licensed clubs, shopping centres, sporting organizations, community
groups, business mentors and other learning institutions. They can no longer rely
solely on public sector budgets. Every level of government needs to do more for the
creation of a learning society. In the past, public libraries had to rely on varying
amounts of local and state funding. In the future, the federal government will need to
take greater responsibility for the resourcing of libraries. Libraries are a victim of
Australia's complex and overlapping federal system of government. The quality of
service differs greatly across the country. This reflects wide variations in the level of
state and local funding support

74