library

A library is a curated collection of sources of information and similar resources, selected by experts and made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing. It provides physical or digital access to material, and may be a physical location or a virtual space, or both. A library's collection can include printed materials and other physical resources in many formats such as DVDs, as well as access to information, music or other content held on bibliographic databases.
A library, which may vary widely in size, may be organized for use and maintained by a public body such as a government, an institution, a corporation, or a private individual. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting information needs, navigating and analyzing very large amounts of information with a variety of resources.
Library buildings often provide quiet areas for studying, as well as common areas for group study and collaboration, and may provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources and the Internet. The library's clientele and therefore the services offered vary depending on its type: users of a public library have different needs from those of a special library, for example. Libraries may also be community hubs, where programs are delivered and people engage in lifelong learning. Modern libraries extend their services beyond the physical walls of a building by providing material accessible by electronic means, including from home via the Internet.
The services the library offers are variously described as library services, information services, or the combination "library and information services", although different institutions and sources define such terminology differently.

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