bibliotek

Bibliotek is the term used in several Scandinavian languages to refer to a library, an institution that collects, preserves, and provides access to a written and multimedia collection. A bibliotek typically houses books, periodicals, audiovisual media, digital resources, and archival material. It serves individuals and communities, offering lending services, reference assistance, study spaces, classes, and cultural programs. Access is often free for residents, funded by government bodies, universities, or other organizations. In many countries, national or legal deposit libraries ensure copies of published works are preserved for the long term.

There are several types of bibliotek: public libraries serve local communities and offer broad collections and programs; academic or research libraries support students and scholars, with specialized collections and interlibrary loan networks; school libraries support K-12 education; national libraries preserve the nation's documentary heritage; and special libraries serve specific sectors such as law, medicine, or industry.

Key functions include collection development, cataloging and classification (using systems such as Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress), reference and information services, circulation, programming (reading groups, workshops), digital lending, and access to databases. The history of bibliotek mirrors that of libraries generally: from ancient stores of clay tablets and manuscripts to medieval scriptoria, and later public libraries established in the 19th and 20th centuries, evolving with the digital age to offer e-books, online catalogs, and remote access.