Since the dawn of civilization, libraries have been the official repository of the record of the evolution of humankind. From the Library at Alexandria to the internet, this is where we have gone, and continue to go, to research, to learn, to write. Users may think of libraries as housing books and manuscripts, but may forget that they are repositories of a variety of cultural artifacts, from coins to postage stamps to films. The nature of library services and the relationship between library users and librarians has been changed considerably by the digital revolution and rising user expectations. Just like libraries themselves, the field of librarianship is ever-changing and offers unique opportunities to address issues related to the past, the present, and the future of civilization.
Research libraries contain the seed-bed of ideas.
From technology development, education, research, writing, and business management, to national policy formulation on information access, government funding, and free speech, librarians are involved in many aspects of intellectual freedom. Research librarians work in a stimulating professional environment that combines some attributes of both the academic and the corporate world. For talented individuals with first-rate minds, problem solving capabilities, and a rigorous undergraduate education, research librarianship is an ideal career. Collecting and preserving the world's accumulated knowledge is their goal. Traditionally, library collections and services have been developed in response to user demands.