The first libraries

Almost as old as civilisation itself, the concept of the library dates back 5,000 years. According to the analysis of 30,000 clay tablets unearthed in Iraq -- what was once ancient Mesopotamia -- it was then that people first started to house collections of written materials in a specific place.

A 2001 article in History Magazine goes on to explain that it was not until the fourth century BCE that the first known public libraries emerged, granting Greek and Roman elite access to precious literary hoards.

It was during the European Renaissance period in the 17th century that saw a surge in the construction of libraries. From Oxford’s Bodleian Library, opened to scholars in 1602, to the Bibliothèque nationale de France, opened to the Parisian public in 1692 libraries were established all over Europe, offering access to information on a scale previously unheard of.

The library today

As modern institutions that store knowledge and information, public libraries today hoard a vast collection of media: They don’t just stock books, but also periodicals, maps, comic books, microfilm, DVDs, CDs, video and cassette tapes, and online databases of articles and journals.

Libraries are no longer only for the elite or scholars, either -- anyone can borrow items from a library or use its facilities.

However, while public libraries are wonderful sources of information, they pose a problem in their immobility. The MSU Philosophy Club, for example, claims that a significant number of communities worldwide still do not have access to public libraries. This is perhaps more evident in developing nations, where issues such as geographical boundaries and lack of basic infrastructure (such as roads and energy) are often cited as barriers to knowledge sharing. Mobile libraries, or bookmobiles (see below), are a means of ensuring that information is made available to those living in these under-served areas.

The mobile library

Mobile libraries are traditionally large vehicles, such as vans or buses, loaded with books and computers that make regular trips to areas that have limited or no access to regular public libraries. Just as their stationary counterparts do, these bookmobiles allow their patrons to borrow books, which can be returned during future visits, and use the Internet.

Example of a bookmobile transport (Photo credit: Ottawa Public Library)

The Guardian reported in 2005 that in north-eastern Kenya, schoolchildren eagerly await the fortnightly arrival of a camel laden with books -- their library. Given the dearth of textbooks and teachers, this living, breathing, mobile library became a means of providing the children with knowledge and ensuring the continued process of learning within the community.

From the earliest civilisations, man has recognised the importance of storing and preserving the written word as a source of information and learning; in its 5,000-year history, the library has managed -- more than a few times -- to reinvent itself, ensuring that knowledge is always accessible to anyone who needs it.

Did you know?

References:

Oxford Bodleian Library - http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley/about/history

Bibliothèque nationale de France - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioth%C3%A8que_nationale_de_France),