Research library

The Library of Congress is one of the largest research libraries in the world.

A research library is a library that contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects.[1] A research library will generally include an in-depth selection of materials on a particular topic or set of topics and contain primary sources as well as secondary sources. Research libraries are established to meet research needs and, as such, are stocked with authentic materials with quality content. Research libraries are typically attached to academic or research institutions that specialize in that topic and serve members of that institution.[1][2][3] Large university libraries are considered research libraries, and often contain many specialized branch research libraries. The libraries provide research materials for students and staff of these organizations to use and can also publish and carry literature produced by these institutions and make them available to others. Research libraries could also be accessible to members of the public who wish to gain in-depth knowledge on that particular topic.[4]

Research libraries face a unique challenge of making research materials accessible and available to patrons. They also need to ensure there are no copyright-related issues with their materials, ensure that as many materials as possible are open access, and ensure all their materials are reliably sourced.[3]

Some specialized research libraries could include those affiliated to governmental organizations which may hold documents of historical, legal or political import, or music libraries which will have books and journals on music, as well as films and recordings for musicians to access.[5]

Research libraries will generally have materials that are typically non-fiction and scholarly. These traditionally included books, periodicals, journals, newspapers, manuscripts and cassette tapes. With the advent of technology, this has evolved to include CDs, DVDs, Ebooks, audiobooks and online research catalogues.[2][6] Research library collections are focused on one or more subjects or fields of study and the material available on those topics are typically more extensive and in-depth than that found in public lending libraries. Institutions such as universities may have multiple research libraries on campus, each dedicated to different faculties or subjects.[7]

Research libraries may also publish their own scholarly research which is conducted by their librarians on their topics of choice.[8]

  1. ^ a b (Young, 1983; p. 188)
  2. ^ a b "library | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  3. ^ a b "Research libraries". OCLC. 2012-10-12. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  4. ^ Wilms, Lotte (2021-04-26). "Digital Humanities in European Research Libraries: Beyond Offering Digital Collections". LIBER Quarterly: The Journal of the Association of European Research Libraries. 31 (1): 1–23. doi:10.18352/lq.10351. ISSN 2213-056X. S2CID 235522125.
  5. ^ Branin, Joseph; Groen, Frances; Thorin, Suzanne (2011-04-15). "The Changing Nature of Collection Management in Research Libraries". Library Resources & Technical Services. 44 (1): 23–32. doi:10.5860/lrts.44n1.23. hdl:1811/48662. ISSN 2159-9610.
  6. ^ Haneefa, Mohamed (2007-08-21). "Application of information and communication technologies in special libraries in Kerala (India)". Library Review. 56 (7): 603–620. doi:10.1108/00242530710775999. ISSN 0024-2535.
  7. ^ Cunningham, Leigh (2010). "The Librarian as Digital Humanist: The Collaborative Role of the Research Library in Digital Humanities Projects". Faculty of Information Quarterly. 2: 1–11.
  8. ^ "PART II: The Research Library in the 21st Century: Collecting, Preserving, and Making Accessible Resources for Scholarship • CLIR". CLIR. Retrieved 2022-05-27.