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History of Libraries

tags:: #History #Library #Kumar #Atomic

The Beginning:

  • Libraries started out as unorganized according to Kumar, "This was a crude inventory lists which served only as an index for the library and there were no universal rule" (Kumar 1). Because there were no bases for organization, libraries were in need of a way to organize its contents
  • In 1668BC the "The Archaeological Excavations Assurbanipal (1668-626 BC) revealed that bibliographic information was recorded on tablets that served as a crude location device by recording title, number of tablets, distinct subdivision, and a location" (Kumar 1). From this, the concepts of classification and catalogues were created. To this date catalogues and classifications are used, but they have been much improved upon.

The Bodleian Catalogue (17th Century):

  • The first dictionary catalogue was formed and was called the Bodleian catalogue. It consisted of author and subjects, in alphabetical order. This new simple way of organizing literature allowed searching to become much easier.

The introduction of technology (20th Century):

  • During the 20th century, cataloguing was ever-growing, as well as the number of pieces of literature available. Cataloguing became universal and standards were created and followed.
  • As technology grew, it began to influence libraries. Online catalogue became the new way to present the organization.
  • Librarians began to see the advantages of co-operating on catalogues. When multiple libraries came together, it allowed access to information to expand greatly.
  • Standardized rules known as the the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR) were created.

Modern Day:

- Online catalogues became the norm due to their accessibility as well as the ease of use. The standard online catalogue became known as the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). It acts as a place where anyone can search for something they are looking for and get instant results.

Citational Information