LECTURE NOTE1

DEFINITION AND TYPES

OF LIBRARY
 DEFINITION AND TYPES OF LIBRARY
The word” library” is derived from the Latin word “Liber” which
means book. According to the world book encyclopedia (1971)
“A library is defined as a collection of books” but the library in
the information explosion age has out-grew this simple
definition, because most modern libraries has not only book-
resources but also electronic resources.
Thus, a library is a repository of knowledge and
intellectual pool where information resources both print
and electronic are acquired, organized, stored, preserved
and disseminated for easy access and retrieval.
Encyclopedia Americana defines a library as a place or building where
book and non-book resources are kept for the purpose of reading and
research endeavor. According to encyclopedia Britannica, it is a
building where print and non-print materials are kept for the
advancement of learning and study.

The library can also be described as a social institution for the

exploitation knowledge contained in published matter and electronic
formats. It is a collection of books and other forms of record housed,
organized and interpreted to meet the broad and varying information
needs of users which could be, information, knowledge recreation
aesthetics.
 A library is a storehouse or assemblage of organized knowledge to
make access easy , search and retrieval effortless. Therefore
a library selects, organizes, stores, preserves and make available
library resources in both print and electronic formats in order to
meet the ever-changing information needs of users both present
and potential.

A library is an organized collection of written and non-written

collection, housed, organized, and interpreted to meet broad and
varying information needs. Hence, a library is different from a
store-house of books such that library resources are identified,
acquired, organized, preserved and made available to be
accessed.
 ATTRIBUTES OF A LIBRARY
What a layman in our society calls library is a mere collection of
books often required with no specific policy and administration in
contradiction of the purpose of the collection.
Furthermore, the collection is manned by a person who has not the
competence nor the skill to acquire or organize a collection and
provide effective and efficient library services. Thus, a standard
library should have the following attributes:
i. Conducive accommodation…..Spacious enough to accommodate
resources and users
ii. Dynamic collection………Broad and varying collection
iii.Specified Users/Time of operation……Heterogeneous /Homogenous
iv.Organization…………..Useful sequence
v. Professionals librarians
 CONDUCIVE ACCOMMODATION

Conducive and spacious accommodation is an essential

attribute of a standard library. A library must be spacious to
accommodate both users and materials. It must be
purpose-built and noise proof to enhance effective reading
and research activities.
 DYNAMIC COLLECTION
A standard library should have a dynamic, rich and balanced
collection of information resources in different formats (both print
and electronic).The library must acquire relevant information
resources to suit or meet the dynamic information needs of users at
different level.
A standard library should build a collection that will be able to
accommodate or take care of the present and future information
needs of users. According to an Indian librarian and information
scientist who postulated the five laws of librarianship…..
The last law says ” library is a growing organism”. This means a
standard library collection should grow in size and prestige over
time to give room for new knowledge and disciplines to expand the
frontier of knowledge.
 SPECIFIED USERS/TIME OF OPERATION

The library should have a specified category of users that will

be patronizing library resources and services because a library
cannot exit in a vacuum without specified users.

However the type and resources in a library determines its

users. Also, a standard library should have a specified and
consistent hours of operation.
 ORGANIZATION

Organization is a key factor in determine the standard of a

library, organization is the essence of a library and helps the
library to achieve its primary objective of acquiring relevant
information resources to satisfy the information needs of users.

Hence, organization is the systematic arrangement of library

resources in useful sequence in order to reduce the search
effort of users and increase their search success. Every
standard library should use standard classification schemes in
organizing its resources.
 PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS

Standard libraries are managed by professional librarians who

has both educational and professional skills to acquire and
organize library resources for easy accessibility and retrieval.
Basically there are three categories of library staff:
i. Professionals
ii. Para-Professionals
iii.Non-Professionals. These three, work together as a team to provide
effective and efficient library services.
 TYPES OF LIBRARIES
Basically, there six (6) types of libraries…………………..
1. Academic libraries
2. School libraries
3. Public libraries
4. National libraries
5. Special libraries
6. Private libraries/personal
7. Electronic/Digital library
8. Hybrid/blended library
9. Virtual library
 ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Academic libraries are those libraries established in tertiary
institution of learning , such as Universities, Polytechnics,
Colleges of Education etc. with the aim of supporting and
facilitating the primary objective of their parent body which is to
learn, teach and conduct research activities to expand the
frontier of knowledge.
Academic libraries are appendages of their parent body ,
hence, they don’t exist in a vacuum ,rather provides literature
support for teaching, learning and research activities of the
Institution.
It is an integral part of an Institution that takes off at the
inception to cater for the information needs of its students,
faculties and staff. Examples: TTU Library, Kenneth Dike Library,
 OBJECTIVES OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
*To provide a wide range of relevant information resources to
support the teaching and research programmes of the Institution
*To provide information literacy/education to users
*To provide SDI (Selective Dissemination Information) services to
users
*Serves as Institutional repository to all publications within and
about the institution
* To provide an up-to-date collection relevant to the curriculum of
the Institution
* Organization of materials
* Provides Individual and group assistance to users
* Networking to access neighboring libraries
 SCHOOL LIBRARIES

School libraries are those found in primary and secondary schools to

complement and supplement the teaching and learning of both
teachers and pupils. School library in modern trend, are referred to
as Media resource centres specially designed to meet the
information needs of pupils.

The entire environment is made attractive to catch the attention and

interest of the pupils. The modern day school library stocks books ,
audio-visual and visual resources, which makes reading and learning
fun and effective .Examples: Abadina Media Resource Centre, UI,
Lead City Int’ School Library
 OBJECTIVES OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES

*Provision of relevant resources to supplement and complement

teaching and learning curriculum of the school
*It promotes independent learning and study
*Provides Opportunity for creativity for children
*Provides enrichment for teachers and teaching methodology
*Builds up learning and reading skills/habits
Provides leisure and pleasure….Fiction books
 PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Public libraries are established by State or local governments to

provide information resources to satisfy the general and specific
information needs of the citizens.
These libraries are funded and maintained by tax payers’ money. The
doors of a public library is opened to everybody regardless of
educational level, gender, age , occupation, religion or ethnic group.
Public libraries are often refers to as People’s University because its
resources and services can be access and use by the general
populace. Examples …Oyo State Library Board, Dugbe, Lagos State
Library Board, Ikorodu, Lagos etc.
 OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES

• To provide Education
• Information
• Culture
• Leisure/Recreation
 Education
Public libraries provide materials and facilities for educational
development and advancement of the general public, which could be
formal or informal
Information
The public library provides quick access to accurate information over a
wide range of knowledge, essential for societal growth and development
Culture
Public libraries provide adequate information resources about values and
norms in order to promote cultural and societal values both local and
international .Thus, public libraries preserve and promotes cultural
values.
Leisure/Recreation
Public libraries provides information material for leisure and recreation
 NATIONAL LIBRARIES

The National library is referred to as the Apex of the Nation‘s library.

The National library is established by a sovereign nation or state,
funded and maintained by tax-payers money to provide general and
specific information needs of the nation and her citizens.
Its collection cut across a wide range of discipline for varying
purposes. It is a non-profit oriented parastatal that charges only social
cost
 OBJECTIVES OF OBJECTIVES

 Legal deposit for the nation

 Regulatory Authority to other libraries
 Provides advice to government about Libraries and librarianship
 Compilation of National bibliography
 Databank to National Copyright Information Centre(NCIC)
….dissemination of copyrighted works relating to Nigeria
 Issues ISBN/ISSN numbers to publications
 Encourages ideas to develop the nation
 Training of Librarians
 Main custodian of Government Publication
 The development of world’s best literature
 SPECIAL LIBRARIES
Special libraries serves the special purpose of an organization or
research centres. It stocks materials related to the interest or activity
of the organization. A special library is subject and user specific. It
focus is on a particular or specific discipline to serve specific users
who are interested in that field.

The library performs its functions through its parent body.

Examples :Geological Survey Library, Kaduna(GSLK),International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture Research Library, Ibadan(IITA), Federal
Institute of Industrial Research Library(FIIRO),Cocoa Research
Institute of Nigeria Library(CRIN)
 OBJECTIVES OF SPECIAL LIBRARIES
 Realization of broad objectives of the main organization
 Provides relevant information materials to support research activities of
their parent body
 Focus is on information function
 Efficient current awareness and selective dissemination of information
services(SDI)
 Speed supply of information
Characteristics of special libraries:
Homogenous Users
Predominant characteristic of smallness
Close relationship between library staff and users
Emphasis on information function
 PRIVATE/PERSONAL LIBRARIES

Private or personal libraries are established, managed, funded and

maintained by private individual. These libraries are built and
tailored towards the interest or discipline of the owner.

Private individuals has contributed immensely to the development

of libraries in Nigeria and some of these libraries are given out for
public use. Examples Tom Jones, Henry Carr, Obafemi Awolowo,
Olusegun Obasanjo and Gani Fawehinmi are individuals who owns
personal libraries.
 ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL LIBRARY

E-library refers library resources stored in digital formats which

may be accessed by computer systems. E-resources can be
multimedia in format…audio, visual or audio-visual. E-library varies in
size and scope. It can be owned by all libraries and can be stored
locally on site or off site and can be remotely accessed via computer
networks.

HYBRID/BLENDED LIBRARY

This is the type of library that combines both the traditional and
digital resources and facilities to provide library services. It subscribes
to various digital resources and it is the new trend in most libraries…It
gives an efficient and effective library services delivery.
 VIRTUAL LIBRARY

A virtual library is often refers to as” library without walls”.

This is because there are no physical walls typical of a traditional
library but a digital space for keeping and organizing virtual
books and related documents. It is a form of digital library in
which the resources are stored in digital formats which are easily
accessed through computer systems.
It is a system of using ICT to bring together vast
resources of various libraries and services in a place so
that users can have quick and easy access to them. It is a
universal library with no regards to physical space and location.
Users globally can access its resources simultaneously as a
single copy. It is unique in the delivery of library services.
Example : Virtual library maintained by the National Universities
 FUNCTIONS OF VIRTUAL
• Saves physical space

• Enhanced searching capabilities

• No distance barrier

• Stores only digitized resources

• Gives room for downloads

• Multiple access

• Eradicates mutilation barrier

• It is user-friendly and non labour intensive