A library is a collection of books on various subjects.A private library belongs to an individual .A public library is meant for the use of all people who pay subscription to it and are enrolled as members.There are also free public libraries.A private library reflects the taste or the personal likes and dislikes of its owner.Here books are selected according to the owner's judgement and requirements.Hence it usually has a bias in favor of some particular subject or subjects.Often a good library is donated to the people after the owner's death.
A library has many uses and it is the duty of everyone to be attached to a library.We,in India,have a bad reputation as readers of books.In our schools and colleges we generally confine ourselves to the study of textbooks.Sometimes we do read books outside the syllabus,but they are usually novels.If we are members of a good library,we may be attracted by a variety of books.List of new books published by a library are a perpetual temptation to its readers.There is also the librarian,one of whose duties is to guide the readers in the choice of books.
A library provides all sorts of books on different subjects.We can read many different types of books on the same subject by various writers.Thus,for reading the ideas of different writers on the same subject or for comparing their ideas the library is the best place.For example,a student or scholar may like to read the ideas of different writers on democracy.He finds perhaps hundreds of books on the history and working of democracy by foreign writers and our own.He canteen write fine essays or even books on democracy and other systems of government himself.A person cannot normally buy a large number of books on a subject.Even if he can but most of them,he cannot keep them all the time in his house.He cannot change his rooms into a library.
A library provides different newspapers in different languages.We can read any newspapers we like and then compare the news and views in one with those in others.We cannot practically buy so many newspapers each day.A library makes available so many magazines coming from different parts of the country and from all corners of the world.We may be able to borrow them at times.
Modern libraries now provide videocassettes and films on arts and science subjects.We can view them in the library itself.Or sometimes we can borrow them for use at home or in school or college.We can thus combine the pleasures of reading with listening and watching films on the mini screen of tv.
Libraries have a very proper atmosphere or situation for studies.We can sit there for hours on end without being disturbed by any noise or talk.If we become a regular visitor to a library,we can get into the habit of studying regularly.Then we can improve our general knowledge and the knowledge of our courses of study easily. We should have useful and well equipped libraries in every part of the country.
