The Evolution of Libraries

First, reader, I apologize for not having a post yesterday. The storm we had that night messed up our alarm clocks, and so we were late rising from bed - meaning I did not have time to write the promised post about the evolution of libraries. I know you were all so disappointed, so without further ado, here is that promised post.

It seems apparent that to many people the library is very much a static institution, and has been for several centuries. This idea, of course, is interwoven with the histories of books and literacy through time. However, allow me to attempt to change your mind:

The library is not a static institution, but a dynamic, constantly changing organism changing constantly to serve the needs of the society it supports.

S. R. Ranganathan, one of the key individuals in the creation of the modern library science profession posited five laws about library science. The fifth of these laws states:

The Library is a growing organism.

“Well,” you might be saying to yourself, “that’s all well and good, but how has the library actually evolved over time?” To answer that, I will dust off my historian cap, and put it on. There. It’s on now.

According to historians of libraries (yes, there are such historians), there have been seven ages of libraries. Seven distinct periods through which the evolution of libraries are traced. Donald Krummel created the model I will share with you now.

The first age of libraries was the Quotidian age. These institutions lasted approximately from 3000 BC to 300 BC. Libraries in this age were, by and large, centers for the storage of records of transactions, recordings of the society’s laws, and the like. The Quotidian Library was sponsored by the civilization it served. These first libraries are mirrored by the archival functions of libraries today.

The second age of libraries was the Academic age. The libraries of this type lasted from 300 BC until approximately 500 AD. These libraries were the centers for the “search for truth” that occurred among scholars of this period, as well as being the cultural center of the city or civilization it served. The library at Alexandria was the apex of this type of libraries - a center for research and writing of the best scholars of the age. The library was sponsored by the society in this age, and the contents of the library itself were supplements and supports in the scholar’s efforts to find the “truth.”

The third age of libraries was the Religious age. These libraries lasted from approximately 500 AD until 1350 AD. These libraries were focused largely on religious (not necessarily Christian works - Muslim libraries were also important in this age) texts, with some copying of older or ancient scholarly works - so long as they did not conflict with the religious views of the parent institution. These libraries were more oriented to the dissemination of knowledge rather than the facilitation of the creation of knowledge. They were sponsored by religious organizations - monasteries, or the religious organization as a whole.

The fourth age was the Humanistic age. Lasting from approximately 1350-1600, libraries primarily focused on the perceived glories of the sponsor of the library As such, libraries of this time were very beautiful, with gorgeous books, which might or might not have been used. These collections either glorified the founder, or the views and thoughts of the founder of the library. The people funding these organizations generally were nobility.

The fifth age was the Scientific age. This age lasted from 1600 to 1700 AD, and focused on increasing knowledge of its patrons through the study of philosophical and scientific works. These libraries were funded by individual scholars, or by institutions of higher learning.

The sixth age was the Democratic age. This age lasted from 1700 until 1850, and were largely instruments for social improvement. It was at this time that we saw the rise of the free, “public” library focused on the improvement of the voting public. It was felt that a better-educated voter would make better choices. At this time, the government began funding libraries to ensure that they were free for the use of their patrons.

And finally, the seventh age is the Technocratic age. This age began in about 1910, and we are at the end of this age, I think. In this age, most libraries exist to institute some form of social change, and the libraries continue to be funded by the government. These libraries collect many different formats of information - and not only for education. Entertainment is also a focus of this age.

So, what’s next for libraries? I have read and heard several different ideas on this subject, but the one I think is the best vision for the future of libraries is the idea of Participatory Librarianship. I am certainly no expert in this area, and I am learning about it more as time goes on. Allow me to share with you this video by the creator of this concept of participatory librarianship, R. David Lankes. I’d love to hear your comments about his ideas!