Introduction
Libraries have existed for a very long time. People have always been acquiring knowledge. In order to preserve that knowledge for future generations, books and libraries were invented. Over the ages, different types of libraries and different systems to manage the resources of the library were developed. Books and other information resources such as CD's, periodicals, videos etc. are collections of ideas. Libraries are a place where these ideas are stored.
Libraries today have changed from what they were when our parents and grandparents were in school. In the past, users were limited to using what the library actually owned and had stored on its premises. Now those limits are disappearing as a result of technology. Information can now be accessed beyond the walls of the library via computers and networks. There is more information available to users now than ever before in history. This information is preserved and presented in many different formats and in many different ways. All of this information and all the different ways of finding it can be confusing. Libraries are managed so that users can find what they need. The best users are the ones who understand how ideas are stored in the library.