History of Library and Information Science
Contents: Foreword. 1. Historical background of libraries. 2. Library system in early middle ages. 3. Libraries during 850 A.D. and 1200 A.D. 4. Libraries in the late middle ages. 5. Printing with movable type. 6. Libraries during 17th and 20th century. 7. American libraries during early 19th century. 8. American libraries in the 19th century. 9. Library related professional organisations. 10. Library education and training. 11. Important library activities. 12. Government libraries and services. 13. Government\'s responsibility for library services. 14. Public libraries operated by Municipal bodies. 15. School library and information centers. 16. Libraries for academic purposes. 17. Libraries for research and development purposes.. 18. Libraries for special purposes. 19. Information science: present and future. 20. Professional performance of librarians. 21. Library bill of rights. Bibliography. Index.
Library and information science is an interdisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the political economy of information. Library activities specially related to training in library science started in India during the period of Nalanda and Takshashila. The first School for Library Science in the West was founded by Melvil Dewey at Columbia University in 1887.
Academic courses in library science typically include collection management, information systems and technology, research methods, cataloging and classification, preservation, reference, statistics and management. Library science is constantly evolving incorporating new topics like database management, information architecture and knowledge management, among others.
The term library and information science (LIS) is most often used; most librarians consider it as only a terminological variation, intended to emphasize the scientific and technical foundations of the subject and its relationship with information science. LIS should not be confused with information theory, the mathematical study of the concept of information. LIS can also be seen as an integration of the two fields, library science and information science, which were separate at one point.
This book will be of immense help to all those contemplating to acquire expert knowledge of history of library and information science with special reference to library and information science and management. (jacket)
