It’s National Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campuses and communities nationwide - and the perfect time to discover how you can join the circle of knowledge @ your library.
“Everyday, libraries in big cities and small towns, colleges and universities, in schools and in businesses help transform their communities,” says the American Library spokesperson. “At our libraries, people of all backgrounds can come together for community meetings, lectures and programs, to do research with the assistance of a trained professional, to get a job or to find homework help..”
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April.
America's 117,000 libraries fall into four basic types (with a few added variations): Public, School, Academic and Special. There are also Armed Forces libraries, Government libraries and multi-use or Joint-Use libraries, which combine library types in one service area or structure.
History of Libraries From The www.ilovelibraries.org website
On a general level, library history probably starts 5000 years ago with collections of clay tablets. In Egypt, the Great Library of Alexandria was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Its collections were said to have included 750,000 scrolls. Fire destroyed some of them and some were taken to Rome as authorized by Cleopatra. While there were private libraries in Rome, Roman citizens could read in dry areas of the public baths. Early libraries also existed in North Africa and the Middle East. Some of these early libraries were available to the public; some were even lending libraries. During the dark ages, printed material was mostly sustained in the monasteries until Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in the 1400s. Early library development in France goes back to the 1300s and in Great Britain to the 1400s. Usage of materials in most early European libraries was restricted to scholars.
In the late 1600s and 1700s, library development began in the United States. Benjamin Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, known as a "subscription library." Many claims exist to being the first U.S. public library. That distinction depends on how the "first public library" is defined, whether by founding date alone, by the founding entity or by level of service offered.
More than 2,000 public libraries were financed in part by the Scotsman, Andrew Carnegie who donated considerable funds to contribute to building them. His first library was built in Scotland in 1883; the first in America, in 1889. Today there are more than 9,000 public libraries in the United States in more than 16,000 buildings.
School libraries are usually part of a school system, and serve students between Kindergarten and grade 12. Many are called media centers, and librarians are often required to have a second degree in education or a certificate in school media.
Not all schools have libraries. Historically, schools were often located near the public library so that students could take advantage of the public library's materials. As demographics changed, schools were located closer to population centers, distance to the public library became an issue and libraries within schools began to appear. Now there are more than 93,000 school libraries.
Academic libraries serve colleges and universities, their students, staff and faculty. In the United States, the oldest academic library is at Harvard University. In 1638, a new college received the bequest of 400 books upon the death of a young minister, John Harvard. He also left half of his land as the university's first benefactor. The school was named in his honor, and the first academic library was established. The 3500 academic libraries today serve 4-year institutions of higher learning as well as junior colleges and community colleges.
The 9,000 special libraries have evolved from the recognition by corporations, businesses, institutions and organizations that they have a need for a central repository of knowledge relevant to their mission and focus. If involved in research, it is vital for them to have the knowledge of what is available, what other research has been done and what findings have resulted.
Go pick up a cookbook at your local library. Research a business plan for your next great restaurant concept. Search the history of a recipe. (I had to find a food segway)Seriously though, if nothing else check out the National Agricultural Library for info on anything agriculture relate. In particular take a peek at the Rural Library Sustainability page.
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