Library World Records

Which university in the world has the largest library? What is the name of Europes oldest public library? What year was the first CD-ROM book released? In what years were the first books in English, French, Spanish and Turkish printed? When was the first major computer database released? What is the title of the largest book ever published? Where is the worlds busiest public library?

To find the answers to these questions, you could spend days scanning hundreds of reference sources in several different libraries, but the answers to all of these questions can be found in this volume. This book not only provides information about and comparisons of libraries; it is also a story of libraries and books from the earliest times to the present. The hundreds of facts about libraries, periodicals, books and reference databases around the world illustrate their evolution from crude and simple to sophisticated, complex and efficient.

The books more than 300 entries are organized by national libraries; public and subscription libraries; university and academic libraries; specialty libraries and archives; books, periodicals and bookstores; catalogs, databases and technology; information science organizations and library buildings.

Librarian and information consultant Godfrey Oswald is also the creator of The Info Connect LIS Directory, the largest available alphabetical directory on the Internet for librarians. He lives in London, England.