The way that libraries as organizations are built, run, and maintained are vastly different, often dependent on their type and location. Larger public libraries for example will have a board of directors who work with the director or head librarian in connection to the municipality or state that governs them as a public entity. Under them would be the different departments, often with a directing manager who oversees the entirety of that section of the larger organization. This continues down throughout the system until the bottom rung of the ladder which is generally occupied by shelvers and clerks. On the other hand, in a smaller library that may not be part of an organization such as Halifax Public Libraries or another amalgamation, a single person may be responsible for multiple jobs which is often the case in School Libraries due to minimal funding.

The result of these different styles and structures of library organizations and the people who work within them play an important role in the services that each offer, and how they work with their patrons and communities to meet their needs. A larger public library or academic library organization will benefit from the structuring as it often allows them to create partnerships with similar learning institutions, as is the case with NovaNet libraries and the amalgamation of 8 of the 9 public library organizations across Nova Scotia. Through these partnerships, they each can expand their collection and use their annual budgets for initiatives such as removing late fees and offering free printing.

The structure of a Public Library is one of the most important to understand and appreciate, as the way that their organization is built and used is heavily dependent on the communities they serve. What makes these Public Libraries even more important in their impact to their communities is the variety and diversity of individuals they hire. Many public libraries have been or are beginning to work closely with social workers, medical professionals, and many other departments of the public and private sector in addition to general library staff who come from all different backgrounds to best support their patrons.

The Halifax Central branch of Halifax Public Libraries is a prime example of this, as this one branch in the larger organization serves not only as the beating heart of the group, but also the city they work with. It is Public Libraries like this that connect people from all walks of life and offer the foundations and supports that many rely on within the inner city whether that be financial planning, practicing and learning English as a second language, or acting as a safe place for everyone.

I have worked with Halifax Public Libraries in the past, and in analyzing the structure, use, and impact of just one branch It was made clear that there was an immense importance in organizations such as this. Not only do the Public Libraries of Halifax Regional Municipality and many other municipalities offer programs and services around all different topics for every age group, but many of them are available digitally. This move towards digital access has become increasing important over the last few months due to the world's condition, and the public libraries recognize this. However, they've continued to make physical impacts too, electing a plan to make naloxone kits available in all branches for possible overdoses, something which is beyond vital right now as drug overdoses increase rapidly each month.

Similar to Public Libraries, the structure, design, and use of Academic Libraries plays an important role in the communities and the patrons they serve. While the staff hired by academic institutions may not have the same vast diversity as other libraries due to the higher education and specialization requirements, the patrons they serve and support maintain this important aspect and this is especially the case in the College setting.

During my visit to the Patrick Powers Academic Library of Saint Mary's University, I learned about the subtle yet important details and differences between Academic Libraries and Public and even School Libraries. While many of these three categories of libraries run on similar mission statements and work to best serve the patrons who rely upon for information and resources, the Academic setting offers a stricter yet deeper exploration of topics as this is their focus.

Unlike the Public Libraries which specialize in general information and create programs for basic learning and entertainment, Academic Libraries specialize in specific resources that cannot be easily acquired elsewhere, often in the form of archival documents and copyright services. One point I found in analyzing this particular Academic Library was the depth at which their departments were organized, having approximately eight major departments and associated managers, making the processing of requests for specific types of information faster and better focused.

The concept of a Special Library is a complex one in itself, as these libraries are built to house, manage, and maintain items and resources that would not typically be found in a general or academic collection. Many of these types of libraries specialize in subjects such as law, medicine, psychology, sociology, and anthropology and are often purposely located in institutes and businesses that specialize in those topics.

This is the case for the McInnes Cooper Law Library, located in the McInnes Cooper Law Firm with the focus of assisting lawyers, scholars, and specific individuals studying law with permission from the Law Library. While not all Special Libraries are exclusive and bar the general public, Law Libraries often do as some of the materials they collect are irreplaceable or costly if a replacement is required. Additionally. Unlike Public Libraries and some Academic Libraries, the large majority of this Special Libraries’ digital resources are also guarded closely, only available to select personnel with permission due to the organizational structure and integrity of legal matters.

In analyzing the impact and importance of Special Libraries like the McInnes Cooper Law Library, I found that while it was a valuable resource and asset to those who could access and use the resources and information they collected, the strict regulations surrounding it made it difficult to access. This lack of accessibility creates a divide between the Firm and possible patrons looking to request their resources and services in legal matters, likely driving many away. As a result, their ability to maintain a large and variable collection has decreased over the years, and they have had to narrow the focus of materials that their Collection Development Policies allow them to purchase and amass.

Fitting into a patron demographic between Public and Academic Libraries are School Libraries, their collections typically comprised of general fictional and non-fictional works with an emphasis on topics that are common in the institution’s curriculum. School libraries serve as an important median between Public and Academic as it offers students and staff a variety of materials, both education and entertain focused. Additionally, it creates opportunities for reading and learning that individuals outside the proximity of a Public Library might go without.

I had the opportunity to volunteer in my own High school library during the senior year, and in visiting another of the libraries in the Halifax Regional Centre for Education’s schools, I made note of unsurprising similarities in addition to rather intriguing differences. While the general use and structuring of the Citadel High School Library were very similar to that of the other library, the functions, and services that the librarian of the former offered was far different from what I had assisted within the latter. While the librarian of my High School library had asked for students to volunteer time with shelving, book repair, and other tasks, the librarian of the Citadel Library did not and chose to do everything herself. This led to fewer opportunities and library focused events that many students rely on, however, it allowed her to better manage with the time she had.

This initially surprised me in my analysis of the school library, as I knew from my first-hand experience how difficult it could be to manage even a small contained library on one’s own. This was because I know that no amount of experience and education can allow someone to manage and complete the work of several people daily. Where the line is drawn between these two situations is the level of support each library and librarian received from the other staff of the school, and especially the Administration. School Librarians that receive the support and structure they need to maintain a working library will thrive as was the case with Citadel, but Librarians thrown to the wolves can only toss water from a sinking ship so fast before they burn themselves out and give in.