in depth of a type of library or key factor in library development, such as library education in a publication country. These are the intensive study of a particular library problem or development in one country also form an important category of literature in the field of Comparative Librarianship.
- Lowell Martin, “Library response to urban change: a study of Chicago Public Library 
- Leon Carnovsky’s “Report of the National Library Committee 
Dealing with or comparing two or more countries.
Relation to or involving two or more countries.
Goals/aims of Comparative Librarianship:
It works to fulfill the following goals―
Benefits of Comparative Librarianship:
There are many benefits of CL.
The most common are given below the following figure;
Factors of Comparative Librarianship:
It is a study of two or more libraries in terms of their development, practice, and relative merits and documents of the various practices; and general aspects of librarianship. Library development in terms of historical, geographical, social, cultural, political, economic, and other factors.
It has two factors, viz:
–Comparison of library situations and
–Comparison of librarianship and library development in general in different geographical situations.
The comparison of library situations covers―
- Operations and
- Merits & demerits.
It is one sense of comparative librarianship at the international level. It is also another sense of aims in international understanding and co-operation in librarianship.
In other words, international librarianship also has two aspects, viz:
–Comparison of library practices and
–Evolving means of library co-operation and understanding at the international level.
The comparison of library practices covers:
- Operations and
- Merits & Demerits
Difference between Comparative & International Librarianship:
Though comparative and international librarianship works as the same purposes but these have some differences which are being;
- To sum-up, comparative studies need not be indifferent countries (though most usually it is so). International librarianship involves studies of library situation in various countries.
- Comparative librarianship is an old concept but international librarianship is a recent one.
- Comparative librarianship searches for “cause and effect” in library development, whereas international librarianship is an approach for “international understanding and co-operation.
- Comparative librarianship, basically, communicates in one nation but international librarianship makes communication among two or more countries.
- Comparative librarianship is the base of international librarianship, whereas international librarianship is a follower of comparative librarianship.
From the above discussion, we can include that the comparative librarianship’s concept is old but systematic studies in this field are of the resent part. Interest in this field has been increasing since the sixties. It started finding a place in the library school curriculum from the early seventies. Library association and international organizations have given support for such studies. Library journal specializing in this area started appearing. An increase in the number of international organizations increased in the interest in comparative librarianship. Such studies aim at bringing both qualitative and quantitative changes in library operations and studies.
Related Article: International Librarianship
Former Student at Rajshahi University