Libraries fall into following basic categories: (1) public libraries, which serve all members of the general public; (2) school libraries, which serve students and faculty through the high school level; (3) college and university libraries, which serve students and faculty in higher education; (4) research libraries, which serve the needs of advanced scholars; (5) special libraries, which serve various organizations, industries, and governmental agencies; and (6) government libraries, which serve governmental departments and agencies, and often the general public as well. Each type of library develops its mission statement, collections, services, and facilities to satisfy the needs of its particular clientele. In the United States, there are approximately 131,000 libraries of all types. School libraries account for the majority of libraries in the United States, totaling nearly 100,000. The United States also has nearly 16,000 public libraries, including both central and branch libraries. Canada maintains more than 3,700 central and branch public libraries. Libraries of all types generally form networks with other libraries, through which they share resources, information, technology, and staff expertise. Most libraries exist as autonomous institutions, but nearly all libraries also form parts of larger regional, national, or even international library networks. These links between institutions ensure that a library's users can obtain needed information quickly and usually free of charge. APublic Libraries Public libraries offer their collections and services to all members of the community. The libraries may range in size from one-room facilities in sparsely populated rural areas to large multibranch systems that serve millions of people in urban areas. Urban public library systems generally maintain a large central library in the downtown area as well as several smaller branches-known as neighborhood or community libraries-in the various neighborhoods of the city. Some public libraries provide services to rural areas of their communities with bookmobiles, which are trucks, trailers, vans, or buses equipped to serve as traveling lending libraries. A1Access to Information Public libraries strive to keep their collections and services open to all members of the community regardless of age, citizenship, occupation, economic status, educational level, ethnicity, or background. In the United States libraries express this principle of nondiscrimination in the Library Bill of Rights, a basic policy statement on access to libraries developed by the American Library Association (ALA). Supporters of public libraries tend to advocate the idea that citizens in a democratic society require free and equal access to information if they are to responsibly choose their elected leaders and vote on issues that affect their communities. For this reason, in the United States, Canada, and many other countries public libraries are generally considered guardians of the democratic principles of freedom, equality, and individual rights. Not all users share the same reasons for using a library. For example, teenagers may go to the public library after school to study, to use computer workstations, or to socialize with friends.
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