Library vs. Archive — What's the Difference?

A library is an institution or room that houses a collection of books, periodicals, and various other resources for reading, reference, or lending. Libraries are designed to provide access to information and knowledge for the public, students, researchers, and other users. An archive, on the other hand, is a place where historical documents, records, and other valuable materials are preserved for long-term storage and research purposes. Archives are typically used by historians, researchers, and scholars to study and understand historical events, people, and cultures.

Libraries primarily focus on current and circulating materials, providing users with access to a wide array of contemporary and general information. Archives concentrate on preserving unique, original documents and records that have historical, legal, or cultural significance. For example, a university library might provide students with textbooks and academic journals, whereas the university's archive would store rare manuscripts and historical documents related to the institution's history.

While libraries often have open access policies allowing patrons to borrow materials, archives generally have stricter access controls to protect the integrity of their collections. In a library, patrons can freely browse shelves and check out books, while in an archive, materials are usually handled by staff and accessed in a controlled environment. For example, archival researchers might need to request specific documents in advance and handle them with care under supervision.

Libraries and archives also differ in terms of cataloging and organizing their collections. Libraries use standardized systems like the Dewey Decimal System or Library of Congress Classification to organize books and materials for easy retrieval. Archives, however, organize their materials based on provenance and original order to maintain the context and relationships between records. For instance, a library might categorize books by subject and author, while an archive would group records by the entity that created them.