A library is an institution that collects, sorts out and collects books and materials for people to read and refer to. As early as 3000 BC, libraries appeared. It has the functions of preserving human cultural heritage, developing information resources and participating in social education. Another function is to collect resources that people are unwilling to buy (or unable to buy) and provide them as collections for the public to use or consult. It can be run by public organizations, government agencies or private organizations.

Extended data:

Historical origin

As early as 3000 BC, there were various records carved on clay tablets in the temples of Babylon. The earliest libraries were the Greek Temple Library and the Affiliated Library of the Greek Philosophy Institute (4th century BC).

The earliest library-Ashgabat Library

According to the excavation results of archaeologists, we know that the earliest library in the world is also in Mesopotamia. The world-famous library is Ashgabat. This is the best preserved, largest and most complete library of ancient civilization sites excavated today. It was 400 years earlier than the famous Alexandria Library in Egypt, and because of the particularity of mud-printed books, it was not destroyed by the war like Alexandria Library, and most of them were preserved.

Libraries in China have a long history. It's just that at first we didn't call it a library, a mansion, a pavilion, a view, a stage, a temple, a courtyard, a hall, a study and a building. For example, Mengfu in the Western Zhou Dynasty, Shiqu Pavilion in the Han Dynasty, Dongguan, Lantai and Guanwen Temple in the Sui Dynasty, Chongwen Academy in the Song Dynasty, Lianshengtang in the Ming Dynasty, and Qige Pavilion in the Four Ku Quanshu in the Qing Dynasty. "Library" is a foreign word, which was introduced into China from Japan at the end of 19.

Business content

The professional work of the library consists of many interrelated work links. Generally, it includes four parts: document collection, collation, collection and service.

Document collection

Literature collection is the foundation of the whole library work. Librarians should first make clear the collection principles, collection scope, collection focus and selection criteria of the library.

Understand the collection of books in the library, the types and copies of documents, the utilization rate and service life of all kinds of books, which books and periodicals can be eliminated (see elimination of books and periodicals) and which books and periodicals should be replenished. In addition to mastering the publishing trends. Then replenish the collection by buying, exchanging and copying. Literature collection mainly includes the division of stacks (see collection institutions), book arrangement (see similar book arrangement methods), collection inventory and document protection. Among them, document protection is a special technology, including book binding, restoration, fire prevention, moisture prevention, light prevention, mildew prevention and insect prevention, and mechanical damage prevention.

library service

Library service is the work of developing and utilizing library resources. Including reader development (such as issuing library cards), reader research, document circulation and promotion services (including document borrowing, reading service, document copying service, inter-library loan, mobile library service, etc.). ), collection report, reading consultation, reference retrieval, reader education.