LIBRARY
Libraries had come a long way from
the very beginning to the present day. The word Library derives from the Latin
word 'liber' which means book.
There are two different types of
libraries. One - a lending library - which allows members to borrow books. Two
- a reference library - where you can only use references on the premises.
At first libraries were only for
stocking books but times have changes. Nowadays the modern lending libraries
stocking music cassettes, records and compact discs, films and video tapes, and
often prints, paintings and toys. Some libraries even provide Internet, and
word processors equipment with the latest software.
But let us go back to the beginning
of the Library.
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| NEW LIBRARY |
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| OLD LIBRARY |
The beginning or start of libraries
lays in the 3rd millennium BC. The Babylonians inscribed and stored information
on clay tablets.
The Greeks in the 4th century BC kept
a collection of writing in their temples.
In 340 BC great libraries were
established and were widely known and visited by scholars. The best know Greek
library was of Aristotle.
At the same time a library in
Alexandria, Egypt became so famous that it is regarded as one of the Seven
Wonders of the World.
In Europe, mainly the monasteries
established libraries and studies. Therefore, reading, writing, books and
knowledge was much centralised to only certain places.
When printing was developed it spread
literacy and libraries started to be more and more in demand.
Libraries were opened to a wider
public in the 19th century. The philanthropists Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)
supported the public lending libraries to help the working class to learn
reading, writing and improve their knowledge.
As literacy was spreading, so was
better education. The libraries were high in demand. The increase of leisure
time also increased the demand on fiction. Fictions are two-thirds of any
library.
The largest library is in the USA -
Library of Congress - in Washington, DC. It has around 110 million items and of
that more than 16 million books.
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| LIBRARY OF CONGRESS |
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