# library science

> collection and organization of information in libraries

**Wikidata**: [Q199655](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q199655)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_science)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/library-science

## Summary
Library science is the application of practices, methods, technologies, and management tools to the organized collection and systematic classification of information in libraries. It encompasses the principles and practices of library administration and services to effectively manage and disseminate knowledge.

## Key Facts
- Library science is classified as an academic discipline, field of study, academic major, field of work, and job activity
- It is a subclass of information science and has a Dewey Decimal Classification number of 020
- The field is practiced by library scientists, librarians, catalogers, and metadata librarians
- Library science has parts including cataloging, library reference service, document management, library collection development, library service, and library and archives activities
- It has a sitelink count of 70 across various Wikimedia projects
- Library science is different from but sometimes said to be the same as librarianship and library and archives activities
- The field has aliases including library studies, library sciences, biblionomy, bibliotecnología, bibliotecología, and biblioteconomía

## FAQs
### Q: What is the difference between library science and librarianship?
A: Library science is the academic discipline and field of study concerned with the principles and practices of library administration, while librarianship refers more specifically to the profession of working in libraries. However, the terms are often used interchangeably as they closely relate to each other.

### Q: How is library science classified in academic systems?
A: Library science is classified under the Dewey Decimal system as 020, and in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC) as 080706 (Librarianship) in the 2008 version and 461006 (Library studies) in the 2020 version.

### Q: What skills are needed for a career in library science?
A: Careers in library science require skills in information organization, cataloging, reference services, collection development, and increasingly, digital technologies and information management. Professionals may also need expertise in specific areas like music librarianship, school librarianship, or digital scholarship.

### Q: How has library science evolved with technology?
A: Library science has incorporated automation, digital scholarship, and web-based technologies into its practices. Modern library science now includes areas like digital preservation, online information retrieval, and the application of computer science to library operations.

## Why It Matters
Library science plays a crucial role in society by organizing and making information accessible to everyone. It solves the fundamental problem of information overload by developing systematic methods for classification, storage, and retrieval of knowledge. As information continues to expand exponentially, library science becomes increasingly vital in helping people navigate, evaluate, and utilize information effectively. The field has evolved from managing physical collections to digital resources, ensuring that knowledge remains accessible across different formats and platforms. Without library science, the vast amount of human knowledge would be disorganized and largely inaccessible, hindering education, research, and cultural preservation.

## Notable For
- Library science is the academic foundation for the profession of librarianship, providing the theoretical framework for library operations
- It has a unique classification system (Dewey Decimal 020) dedicated specifically to organizing knowledge about libraries themselves
- The field integrates multiple disciplines including information science, computer science, and management principles
- Library science maintains specialized branches like music librarianship, school librarianship, and serials librarianship
- It has developed specialized terminology and classification systems that are used worldwide in library operations

## Body
### Definition and Scope
Library science is defined as the application of practices, methods, technologies, tools of management, education, training, perspectives, and related areas, to the organized collection and systematic classification of information in libraries. It encompasses the study of the principles and practices of library administration and services.

### Academic Classification
As an academic discipline, library science is classified under:
- Dewey Decimal Classification: 020
- Universal Decimal Classification: 02 (Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications)
- ANZSRC 2008: 080706 (Librarianship)
- ANZSRC 2020: 461006 (Library studies)

### Related Fields and Specializations
Library science is closely related to and often overlaps with:
- Information science: The field primarily concerned with the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information
- Library and information science: A professional training program merging the two fields
- Music librarianship: Area of librarianship relating to music collections and their development, cataloging, preservation and maintenance
- School librarianship: Academic discipline concerned with library and information services in schools
- Digital scholarship: Use of digital evidence, methods of inquiry, research, publication and preservation to achieve scholarly and research goals

### Professional Practice
The field is practiced by various professionals including:
- Library scientists
- Librarians
- Catalogers
- Metadata librarians

### Key Components
Library science includes several key components:
- Cataloging: The process of creating metadata to describe information resources
- Library reference service: Assistance provided to library users in finding information
- Document management: Systems for handling documents throughout their lifecycle
- Library collection development: Process of building library materials to meet user information needs
- Library service: The various functions libraries provide to their users
- Library and archives activities: Operations related to preserving and providing access to information

### Historical Context
While the source material doesn't provide specific historical dates, it does reference "Libraries in Mesopotamia" as a related class and "history of libraries" as a discipline focused on the intersection of library science and history, indicating the field has deep historical roots.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Library science",
  "description": "The application of practices, methods, technologies, and management tools to the organized collection and systematic classification of information in libraries.",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11284309",
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  "additionalType": "Academic discipline"
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## References

1. Directory of Open Access Journals
2. Czech Terminology Database of Library and Information Science
3. UNESCO Thesaurus
4. Nuovo soggettario
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](http://www.udcsummary.info/php/index.php?id=13358&lang=en)
7. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
8. BabelNet
9. Quora
10. [Source](https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/1297.02008?OpenDocument)
11. FactGrid
12. National Library of Israel
13. CC 6
14. [Source](https://vocabs.ardc.edu.au/viewById/316)
15. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)