1. The room, building, depository, or institution where a collection of books or other research materials is kept.
2. A collection of books, newspapers, records, tapes, or other materials that are valuable for research.
3. In computing, a collection of standard programs and subroutines that are stored and available for immediate use.

From Latin, libraria, "bookshop", literally, "of books", from, ultimately, liber, "book" (literally "inner bark of a tree", which was once used as writing material).

Apparently first appeared in 1374, from Anglo-French librarie, from Old French librairie "collection of books," a noun use of the adjective form librarius "concerning books," from Latin librarium "chest for books," from liber "book, paper, parchment," originally "the inner bark of trees".

The equivalent word in most Romance languages now means "bookseller's shop." Librarian is from 1713; earlier form was "library-keeper" (1647).

Libraries past, present, and in the future: library quotes.

A security system that uses magnetic strips in objects that are read by a scanner in an antenna or a sensitizer/desensitizer.

A library, or department of a library, where the public can borrow books and often audio tapes, videotapes, CDs, and DVDs.

A set of books, published in a series, either by a single author or on the same subject and with the same size and format.