Formation of the social functions of the library
N.Yu. DolgovaThe article considers the genesis and essence of a library as a social institution and also the role and functions of the library in different periods. The author highlights the importance of emergence of libraries during every historical epoch and their performance of invariable initial functions and tasks. The mission of the library is implemented by means of concrete social functions, that’s why its transformation leads to changes of social functions of the library. The author shows the value of the library for the society depending on its type. The paper analyzes a library as a social institution, characterizing its historical variability. The purpose of the first libraries and their first mission was to store documented knowledge. The first libraries were storages-treasuries of mostly closed type as the collections of books existing in them had material value. The antique library can be considered both as a public library (for readers from certain strata of the society) and as the academic establishment. Monastic libraries played the leading role in saving the cultural heritage of antiquity, in maintaining continuity in the development of education, sciences and culture. During the Middle Ages monastic libraries significantly developed. In the early Middle Ages they were the only centers of culture and education. In the late Middle Ages they conceded the place to university libraries. The universities and their libraries played an important role in the distribution of books and education. Theology started gradually to concede its superiority to secular sciences in university audiences (respectively the structure of the libraries holdings changed). The circle of users of university libraries was much wider, than in other medieval libraries. The library has gradually become such an establishment which defines the character of educational, scientific and cultural policy of the state. The library development has passed a long evolutionary way from the collections of different plates and scrolls in the libraries of ancient empires, small book collections in monasteries comprised mainly of religious literature and having a very limited circle of users, to the university libraries and private collections which were a prototype of a modern public library with its universal book holdings of public use. During a long period of human history the libraries social functions have undergone essential changes.