Organized collection of books or other information resources

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Library</span>

Library

<p>A <b>library</b> is a collection of <a href="/en/Document" title="Document" class="wl">materials</a>, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or <a href="/en/Electronic_media" title="Electronic media" class="wl">digital access</a> (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a virtual space, or both. A library's collection can include <a href="/en/Printed" title="Printed" class="mw-redirect wl">printed</a> materials and other physical resources in many formats such as <a href="/en/DVD" title="DVD" class="wl">DVD</a>, <a href="/en/CD" title="CD" class="mw-redirect wl">CD</a> and cassette as well as access to information, music or other content held on <a href="/en/Bibliographic_database" title="Bibliographic database" class="wl">bibliographic databases</a>.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Organized collection of books or other information resources</div>
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<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Statsbiblioteket_læsesalen-2.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Statsbiblioteket_læsesalen-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg/330px-Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="5165" data-file-height="3820" data-file-type="bitmap" height="244" width="330" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg/495px-Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg/660px-Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg 2x" alt="Statsbiblioteket_l%C3%A6sesalen-2.jpg"></a><figcaption>A modern reading room in the <a href="/en/State_and_University_Library,_Denmark" title="State and University Library, Denmark" class="wl">State and University Library, Denmark</a></figcaption></figure>

<p>A library, which may vary widely in size, may be organized for use and maintained by a public body such as a government; an institution such as a school or museum; a corporation; or a private individual. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of <a href="/en/Librarian" title="Librarian" class="wl">librarians</a> who are trained and experts at finding, selecting, circulating and organizing information and at interpreting information needs, navigating and analyzing very large amounts of information with a variety of resources.</p>

<p>Library buildings often provide quiet areas for studying, as well as common areas for group study and collaboration, and may provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources; for instance: computers and access to the <a href="/en/Internet" title="Internet" class="wl">Internet</a>. The library's clientele and services offered vary depending on its type: users of a <a href="/en/Public_library" title="Public library" class="wl">public library</a> have different needs from those of a <a href="/en/Special_library" title="Special library" class="wl">special library</a> or academic library, for example. Libraries may also be community hubs, where programs are delivered and people engage in lifelong learning. Modern libraries extend their services beyond the physical walls of a building by providing material accessible by electronic means, including from home via the Internet.</p>

<p>The services that libraries offer are variously described as library services, information services, or the combination "library and information services", although different institutions and sources define such terminology differently.</p>



A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical or digital access materials, and may be a physical location or a virtual space, or both. A library's collection can include printed materials and other physical resources in many formats such as DVD, CD and cassette as well as access to information, music or other content held on bibliographic databases. A library, which may vary widely in size, may be organized for use and maintained by a public body such as a government; an institution such as a school or museum; a corporation; or a private individual. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are trained and experts at finding, selecting, circulating and organizing information and at interpreting information needs, navigating and analyzing very large amounts of information with a variety of resources. 