What does library mean?
A library is an organized collection of books and other information materials, as well as the institution or building where those materials are kept and made available. Libraries may support research, education, recreation, and public access to knowledge, and they commonly lend books, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, and other resources. The word can also refer to a collection of computer programs or data, as in a software or programming library. A library may be a public institution, a school or university facility, a specialist research collection, or a smaller personal collection. The term is generally neutral and familiar, though it can suggest either the practical resource of borrowing materials or the broader cultural importance of preserving and sharing knowledge.
A collection of books, manuscripts, or other information materials.
"The researcher consulted several rare books in the university library."
The word can refer to the collection itself as well as the institution or building that contains it.
An institution or building that houses, preserves, and lends books and other resources.
"Our city library offers free access to computers and study spaces."
Often used for public, school, academic, or research institutions.
A collection of computer programs, software components, or reusable resources.
"The developer imported the image-processing library into the project."
This technical sense is common in computing and software development.
The standard plural is “libraries.”
"The city operates several libraries in different neighborhoods."
From the Latin word for “book,” the name “library” preserves the idea of a place where knowledge is gathered and made available.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of library
The word comes through Medieval Latin from Latin librarium, a bookcase or book collection. Its deeper root is Latin liber, meaning “book,” which also underlies words such as librarian, literary, literacy, and libretto. The form library developed in English during the Middle English period and originally referred to a collection of books, before becoming established for the place where books were housed and consulted.
Related word forms
How library is actually used
In everyday use, “library” most often means a public or institutional collection of books. In computing, it is commonly used for a collection of reusable code, software, or data.
Easily confused with library
A library is a collection of books and related resources, while a bookcase is a piece of furniture designed to hold books.
A library generally provides access to materials for reading, study, or research, whereas a bookshop sells books and related items.