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A library is a collection of sources, resources, and services, and the
structure in which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained
by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. In the more
traditional sense, a library is a
collection of
books. It can
mean the collection, the building or room that houses such a collection,
or both. The term "library" has itself acquired a secondary meaning: "a
collection of useful material for common use." This sense is used in
fields such as
computer science,
mathematics,
statistics,
electronics and
biology.
It can also be used by publishers in naming series of related books,
e.g. The Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology.
Libraries often provide a place of
silence
for studying.
Public and institutional collections and services may be intended for
use by people who choose not to — or cannot afford to — purchase an
extensive collection themselves, who need material no individual can
reasonably be expected to have, or who require professional assistance
with their research. In addition to providing materials, libraries also
provide the services of
librarians who
are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting
information needs."
Source:
Wikipedia
Library of Congress stats:
142 million items, 650 miles of shelves
Source:
Library of Congress
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