noun
library
LY-brer-ee/ˈlaɪbreri/
An organized collection of materials maintained for consultation or borrowing.
People read and explore the bookshelves at the public library.
Etymology
The pieces mean “concerning books.” Noun forms named a book chest or bookseller’s shop, connecting books with their container or location—the same connection behind a library as a collection or the place housing it.
In context
diaries and annotated books the archive joins the library's ever-growing collections of contemporary literary archives alongside other acquisitions
More examples
- Our library lends books and magazines to anyone with a card.
- The museum maintains a research library for visiting scholars.
- She donates her grandfather's library of history books to the college.
Forms
library · libraries
librarian noun — A person who manages library resources.
Similar words
- collection
- A group of gathered items, not necessarily organized for access.
- archive
- Usually preserves historical records rather than materials for general borrowing.