We explain what a library is and what are the categories in which the books are organized. Also, the origin story of the library.
What is a library?
A library is a place where we can find books or any other support of a text, such as publications, magazines, documents, catalogs, and so on. A library can be both the piece of furniture where we place the books (which is usually made up of several horizontal shelves) or the building itself, where we can consult and borrow books and more.
A library is a place where we can turn to read, search for information and study. Many libraries also offer services online search, through Internet, and consultation of digital books.
In most libraries, books are rigorously organized into ten broad categories (known as "Universal Decimal Classification, or UDC"). These categories respond to the following classification: Language, Arts, Exact Sciences Y Natural Sciences, Applied Sciences and technology, Literature, Philosophy Y Psychology, History Y Geography, Social Sciences, Religion and finally reference works, that is, dictionaries or encyclopedias.
The public library is a civil association, that is, made up of citizens, which can be a group of neighbors that offers different services related to consulting books and developing cultural activities. Public libraries are generally maintained by the same partners. The collection of books that a library owns is usually freely accessible to the public.
The word library It comes from a Latin word that in turn was taken from a Greek word made up of the words “biblíon” (which means books) and “théke” (which means cupboard or box). That is why the word library referred to the place where books were kept, but not in the current sense, but rather they were scrolls of papyrus or codices.
What was the origin of the library?
Libraries are not a recent invention, in fact, libraries have been known for more than four thousand years. They arose in the culture Mesopotamian with built-in clay tablet preservation. The library as we know it today, we can say that it had its origin in Greece where we find the famous Library of Alexandria or the Pergamon Library.
During the Middle Ages monasteries will be responsible for preserving and caring for written culture. From the creation of the printing and from the opening of the universities, new libraries will be created for scholars and scholars.
In this way, the modern concept of the library will be developed, accessible to all interested persons and those seeking information relevant to culture. There is no longer any censorship or study limitation in the world and libraries help to promote the education.