1. Focus: An
academic library is a library
that is attached to a higher education institution which serves two
complementary purposes to support the school’s curriculum, and to support the
research of the university faculty and students while other libraries are open
to the public may offer services similar to research, reference, public,
academic, or children’s libraries, often with restrictions
academic library is a library
that is attached to a higher education institution which serves two
complementary purposes to support the school’s curriculum, and to support the
research of the university faculty and students while other libraries are open
to the public may offer services similar to research, reference, public,
academic, or children’s libraries, often with restrictions
2. Clientele: Academic
libraries often have a more specific clientele than libraries in public
settings, and deal with more specialized kinds of information. Other libraries
are developed to support the mission of their sponsoring organization and their
collections and services are more targeted and specific to the needs of their
clientele. Those that are open to the public may offer services similar to
research, reference, public, academic, or children’s libraries, often with
restrictions such as only lending books to patients at a hospital or
restricting the public from parts of a military collection.
libraries often have a more specific clientele than libraries in public
settings, and deal with more specialized kinds of information. Other libraries
are developed to support the mission of their sponsoring organization and their
collections and services are more targeted and specific to the needs of their
clientele. Those that are open to the public may offer services similar to
research, reference, public, academic, or children’s libraries, often with
restrictions such as only lending books to patients at a hospital or
restricting the public from parts of a military collection.
3. Staffing: Many
academic libraries are not open to the general public, though access may be
requested for specialized research by request. Academic libraries are also
sometimes known as information
centers. They are generally staffed by librarians, although many
librarians employed in academic libraries are specialists in the library’s
field rather than generally trained librarians, and often are not required to
have advanced degrees in specifically library-related field due to the
specialized content and clientele of the library.
academic libraries are not open to the general public, though access may be
requested for specialized research by request. Academic libraries are also
sometimes known as information
centers. They are generally staffed by librarians, although many
librarians employed in academic libraries are specialists in the library’s
field rather than generally trained librarians, and often are not required to
have advanced degrees in specifically library-related field due to the
specialized content and clientele of the library.
4. Accommodation: Academic
libraries today vary in regard to the extent to which they accommodate those
who are not affiliated with their parent universities. Some offer reading and
borrowing privileges to members of the public on payment of an annual fee; such
fees can vary greatly. The privileges so obtained usually do not extend to such
services as computer usage, other than to search the catalog, or Internet access.
Alumni and students of cooperating local universities may be given discounts or
other consideration when arranging for borrowing privileges.
libraries today vary in regard to the extent to which they accommodate those
who are not affiliated with their parent universities. Some offer reading and
borrowing privileges to members of the public on payment of an annual fee; such
fees can vary greatly. The privileges so obtained usually do not extend to such
services as computer usage, other than to search the catalog, or Internet access.
Alumni and students of cooperating local universities may be given discounts or
other consideration when arranging for borrowing privileges.
5. Accessibility: In some cases they are official government document repositories and so are
required to be open to the public. Still, members of the public are generally
charged fees for borrowing privileges, and usually are not allowed to access
everything they would be able to as students.
required to be open to the public. Still, members of the public are generally
charged fees for borrowing privileges, and usually are not allowed to access
everything they would be able to as students.
