Li"bra*ry (lī"br&asl;*r&ybreve;), n.; pl. Libraries (- r&ibreve;z). [OE. librairie, F. librairie bookseller's shop, book trade, formerly, a library, fr. libraire bookseller, L. librarius, from liber book; cf. libraria bookseller's shop, librarium bookcase, It. libreria. See Libel.] 1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library; a public library.

2. A building or apartment appropriated for holding such a collection of books. Holland.

• An institution which holds books and/or other forms of stored information for use by certain people. It is usual, but not a defining feature of a library, for it to be housed in rooms of a building, to lend items of its collection to members either with or without payment, and to provide various other services for its community of users.
  
• A collection of books or other forms of stored information. An individual may refer to his collection of books and other items as his library.