ILS-564 Special Libraries & Document Centers
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Definition of a Special Library

Provide a definition of a special library and post the information to the class. Share where you’ve looked and your sources.



Definition of a special library

The Special Library Association defines information professional as one who uses information to advance the mission of the organization. Information professionals work for “information organizations, which are defined as those entities that deliver information-based solutions to a given market. Some commonly used names for these organizations include libraries, information centers, competitive intelligence units, intranet departments, knowledge resource centers, content management organizations, and others.” (1)

The American Library Association offers a fact sheet with definitions of various types of libraries, including: corporate, medical, law, religious, etc. (2) This definition does not include specialized information organizations such as government libraries and document centers, armed forces libraries, art and museum libraries, or private (subscription) libraries. Subscription libraries include The New York Society Library (3) (founded 1754), The Library Company of Philadelphia (4) (founded 1731, by Benjamin Franklin and others), and the Boston Athenaeum (5) (founded 1807). An unusual corporate library – the Margaret Herrick Library, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (6) – could certainly be considered a special library.

Another special library with diverse collections may be found at the Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Library (7).

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (8) states that special libraries vary in size but provide specialized services to their clientele. 



References

(1) Special Library Association. (2004). About information professionals. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/professional/index.cfm

(2) American Library Association. (2005). Number of libraries in the United States, ALA library fact sheet 1. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.ala.org/ala/alalibrary/libraryfactsheet/alalibraryfactsheet1.htm

(3) The New York Society Library. (2005). Home page. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.nysoclib.org

(4) The Library Company of Philadelphia. (2005). Home page. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.librarycompany.org/

(5) The Boston Athenaeum. (2005). Home page. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/membership.html

(6)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (2005). Margaret Herrick Library home page. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.oscars.org/mhl/

(7) Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (2005). Library home page. Retrieved September 5, 2005, from: http://www.ifla.org/VII/d2/dsl.htm


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Last updated 2007-06-11. ALR. Contact me.