Public library

Public libraries are in librarianship commonly understood as publicly accessible libraries with a range of collections and services for the general population and thus distinguished from the usually also open scientific libraries. In Germany, public libraries serve under Article 5 ( 1) of the Basic Law of general education and information supply and as a cultural institution for recreational use for all citizens.

Public Libraries in Germany

There are public libraries of various sizes. Usually they are maintained by counties, cities or municipalities. However, establishment and maintenance of a library are exempted them, so that a uniform supply of literature is not guaranteed. In Germany there is not in every state a library law. In contrast, the establishment of publicly accessible archives is regulated by laws on archives.

In larger cities there are usually tiered systems with central and branch libraries and the extra-urban area county and mobile libraries as well as smaller facilities. The work of public libraries is supported in the various countries by individual collaborations and by government agencies for public libraries (see Library-related organizations).

In addition to the libraries in community sponsorship, there are more public libraries. Thus, the Protestant and the Catholic Church entertained, especially in rural areas and in districts a variety of Protestant ( EÖB ) and Catholic public libraries ( KÖB ) ( supported by the Borromeo club ), which are partially funded by states and municipalities. The management and employees is mainly provided by volunteer staff. Most national churches and dioceses entertain church agencies ( library agencies ) that offer as the expert bodies for public libraries training, support and services to their libraries. Supra-regional services provide the German Association of Protestant libraries eV ( dVEB ) and the Borromeo club in Bonn, and the St. Michael Federation ( SMB) in Munich. In composite "Archive ³ " work nationwide 11 different special libraries and archives from the development area together and to make their collections available to the public.

Even libraries that are only a limited public (factory libraries, hospital libraries, prison libraries ), but not specifically serve the research are summarized under " public libraries ".

The image of public libraries has changed significantly under the influence of societal and media developments; they are as low-threshold training facility for all levels of society for all ages the most visited establishment of a municipality. They make integration work for immigrants to work other devices and amplifiers to, increasingly, the primary and secondary schools. They work well with media educational offerings, with the media to date - Internet, CD, CD -ROM, DVD, video, etc. They provide business information for small and medium businesses and understand itself as a service for the local politics. The activity characteristics for careers in librarianship were still largely formulated in the fifties in the Federal Employees' Collective Agreement (BAT) and correspond in any way to the current job description.

As in Germany no library law was formulated, but include the public libraries to the "voluntary" services, they are especially made ​​in tough economic times to disposition.

Types of public libraries

  • City ​​libraries
  • Church libraries ( public libraries )
  • School libraries and school media centers
  • Music libraries
  • Children and youth libraries
  • Mobile Libraries
  • Patient or hospital libraries
  • Prisoners or prison libraries
  • Libraries
  • Libraries for the Blind
  • Troops libraries
  • Art libraries
  • Hotel libraries or Kurbibliotheken

Public libraries in other countries

Great Britain

Access for members of the public allowed already in 1425 the library of the London Guildhall. In the 17th century, several municipal libraries were then established. Of these, the Chetham 's Library was founded in Manchester in 1653, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world rises to his ( controversial to WJ Sidis vgl.u. ).

United States

In the United States, where the government to citizens in many areas - such as unemployment or health insurance or in tertiary education - takes comparatively little services include public libraries to the most developed public service providers. In his unconventional history book The Tribes and the States ( 1935 ) William James Sidis takes for the USA, the invention of the public library in claim while drawing attention to the already opened 1636 Public Library of Boston. The first public library for children opened in 1835 in Arlington ( Massachusetts). One of the most important public libraries in the country in 1849 opened New York Public Library in New York City. The first American library with open access shelves was opened in 1884 Williams Free Library in Beaver Dam ( Wisconsin).

Other types of libraries, which are particularly common in the United States in addition to the next public libraries, school libraries, university libraries, private libraries, corporate libraries and the libraries of historical societies are ( Historical Societies ).

CD-ROM School library Record collecting Guildhall (London) Beaver Dam (Wisconsin) Private library National library State libraries of Germany Integrated Authority File
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