THEORY AND PRACTICE OF LIBRARY SCIENCE:
TYPES OF LIBRARIES
1. Theory and Practice of Library Science (Indian
Perspective)
In the context of Indian Library
and Information Science (LIS) education, particularly following the curriculum
standards of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) BLIS program,
the relationship between academic theory and practical field operations is
highly emphasized:
·
Librarianship
vs. Library Science: Indian LIS education defines librarianship as the
practical, day-to-day service application designed to fulfill user-patron
demands within the community or institution. Library Science, by contrast,
represents the core academic discipline, research methodologies, and
theoretical frameworks that govern information behavior. This operational
divide is frequently compared to the relationship between 'medicine' (the
scientific discipline) and 'doctoring' (the hands-on practice).
·
Scholarly
Contribution in India: While a large percentage of working professionals
across Indian public and school libraries focus heavily on localized
administrative workflows, academic librarians (especially within University
Grants Commission (UGC) funded institutions) are actively mandated to conduct
original empirical research and contribute to LIS scholarship. Regardless of
personal research tracks, professionals drive the field's advancement via
local, state, national, and international library networks.
·
Knowledge
Organization Structures: IGNOU text modules establish Library Science as a
specialized subset of Knowledge Organization. Caught between macro global
paradigms like web architecture or artificial intelligence, library science
operates within a distinctly defined socio-technical structure specifically
focused on managing collections inside physical and digital institutional
networks.
2. Taxonomy and Typology of Library Systems
Libraries are taxonomically
categorized into unique institutional types based on their specific user
populations, funding frameworks, and overarching educational or civic missions:
|
Library Category |
Core User Community |
Operational Core Mandate / Focus Areas |
|
Public Libraries |
General Public (Adults, Children, Teenagers, Seniors) |
Core focus areas center on local collection development,
information literacy, public budgeting, intellectual freedom policies, and
acting as a democratic 'Public Sphere' or 'Commons' (Habermas). |
|
Academic Libraries |
Higher Education Students, Scholars, Researchers, Faculty |
Stewardship of institutional repositories, copyright
administration, academic freedom policies, open access publishing, and
research data management within the UGC framework. Staff hold academic ranks. |
|
School Libraries |
Primary & Secondary School Students, Educators |
Collaborative curriculum development, primary media
specialization, information literacy instruction, and strict state/local
pedagogical certification compliance. |
|
Special Libraries |
Industry Experts, Corporate Staff, Government Specialists |
Targeted specialized collections supporting corporate,
legal, medical, or intelligence objectives (e.g., NCAR and the Federal Bureau
of Investigation Library). |
|
Archives &
Preservation |
Historians, Genealogists, Archival Researchers |
Archival management focuses on the historical preservation
of records, appraisal, and mass deacidification. Preservation teams manage
physical binding, conservation, and climate monitoring. |
3. Detailed Institutional Analysis
Public Library Funding
Models & Sub-types:
·
Association
Libraries: Regulated through individual private structures but open to
public utility.
·
Municipal
Libraries: Directly managed and budgeted by urban local bodies and
municipal corporations.
·
School
District Libraries: Aligned with regional school district demarcations for
shared local utility.
·
Special
District Libraries: Autonomous, dedicated tax-levying geographic
jurisdictions established for library maintenance.
Profiles in Special
Librarianship & Archives:
·
Special
Libraries Association (SLA): The definitive global professional
organization advocating for special librarians and information centers across
corporate and state domains.
·
National
Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Library: A dedicated research
library tasked with supporting, preserving, making accessible, and
collaborating on high-level scholarly atmospheric and educational data
resources.
·
The
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Library: A high-security government
library tasked with supporting the Bureau's statutory mission to uphold federal
law, assist enforcement agencies, and protect against foreign intelligence
threats.
·
Preservation
Librarianship: Operating within core academic networks to manage
preservation activities (binding, conservation, digital/analog reformatting,
environmental monitoring) to secure permanent access to historical artifacts.
Academic
References & Attributions:
•
Source Materials derived from The Complete Reference to Odisha Librarian
Recruitment Exams
• Maintained and curated for Library & Information Science Scholars,
Professionals, and Academic Researchers.
