2. Vatican Library (Vatican City, Italy - 1500)
In 1566, Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo created
famous portrait called The Librarian.The painting reflects
the importance of the book culture and libraries during
this time period.The painting currently hangs at Skokloster
Castle in Sweden.
During the 1500s, book publishing houses gained
momentum with the introduction of the printing press
increasing the availability of books. Many of the beautiful
libraries of this period include contributions by Leonardo
da Vinci and Michelangelo.
3.
Great Hall of the Vatican Library looking west in 1901.
4. 1600s-1640s CE
The 17th century marked the spread of free public
libraries. However many of these libraries restricted access
to approved citizens and most of the libraries were non-
circulating. These libraries often began with endowments
from local leaders or scholars. Receiving little or no outside
funding, they relied on donations. Theft was a constant
concern for many of the libraries chained their books.
1700-1724 CE
As libraries and publishing expanded into the
colonies, questions began to arise about the legal rights of
publishers and authors. In 1662 the Licensing of the Press
Act in Britain was the first step toward regulating the
copying of books.
5. 1725-1749 CE
While subscription and social libraries were
created for the benefit of a group of users, the
commercial circulating library was an enterprise
operated for profit. The customer's role was to simply
patronize the establishment.
1750-1774 CE
From royal libraries to diocesan libraries, personal
and small libraries gained momentum in the 1700s.
However, only those wealthy, educated individuals
with a passion for reading took the time and effort to
build a library. Wealthy and privileged colonists
around the world faced the problem of transatlantic
connections to acquire books.
6. 1775-1799 CE
In 1791, Thomas Paine (1737-
1809) published The Rights of Man .
This popular text defended the values
of the American Revolution including
the human rights of life, liberty, and
free speech, as well as civil rights
related to security and protection. He
outlined how a government could
provide for the social welfare of the
people and stressed the importance of
literacy and education for all. The book
sold tens of thousands of copies.
The French Cataloging Code of
1791 provided direction for librarians
cataloging the contents of collections
seized during the French Revolution.
Cards were used to record information
about each item confiscated. This
activity could be considered the
creation of the first card catalog.
7. 1800-1824 CE
Many national libraries began as royal collections,
while others were connected to monasteries or
university collections. National libraries are sometimes
connected with a country's struggle for independence
and reflect a young government's need to establish its
own identity. Regardless of their original, the
collections are often established with a combination of
donations and appropriations from conflict. Many
libraries were established during the 18th and 19th
centuries. However many national libraries were also
added throughout the 20th century around the world.
8. 1825-1849 CE
The publishing industry continued to grow.
Publishers and authors became increasingly
concerned about copyright issues. The Copyright Act
of 1842 in the United Kingdom repealed earlier acts
and provided future protection for the lifetime of the
author of a work. The act provided for a minimum of
forty-two years. At the 1886 Berne
Convention, copyrights were acknowledged among the
sovereign nations.
9. 1850-1874 CE
By the mid-1800s, countries around the world
were shifting from subscription and commercial
circulating libraries to public libraries. In some cases,
legislation was enacted to support the development of
public libraries. After the Public Library Act (1850) in
the United Kingdom, legislation was introduced in
many other parts of the world. Public libraries slowly
grew and gained momentum toward the end of the
1800s. Many of the same principles related to
promoting education and literacy can be seen in the
mission statements of today's libraries.
10. 1875-1899 CE
After the Civil War, an educational reform movement
spread across the United States.
This movement coincided with the development of
the library movement.
The photo on the right shows Herbert Putnam
watching students in the Reading Room at the Library of
Congress around 1899.
In the mid- to late 19th century, librarians began
holding meetings and conventions to discuss issues of
professional interest.
Specialty areas within the field of librarianship began
to emerge. Finally, the first schools for training librarians
were established.
11.
12. Modern Library Departments
As libraries evolved, their need for organization evolved
as well. For that reason, modern public libraries began
developing variations of the following departments to
help maintain order:
Circulation: This department handles user accounts,
as well as loaning and returning and shelving.
Reference: This section is usually meant for
answering user questions or gaining access to specific
reference books. Books in this section are usually not
able to be checked out of the library.
13. Stacks maintenance: Those who belong to this
department usually have the duty of re-shelving
materials that have been returned to the library. Also,
this department reads the material in the stacks to
ensure that they are being classified correctly.
Collections: This department is in charge of ordering
materials and maintaining materials budgets.
Technological services: The technological services
department is usually in charge of cataloguing
materials, as well as developing and maintaining
databases to keep materials in order.