What role did library play in development of civilization?

Answer 1

There are few items more important to the development of a society than a written record of its historical achievements. As some civilizations moved from oral to written culture, the leaders (whether religious leaders or military leaders or political leaders) began to want their stories preserved for posterity, so that future generations could learn from the wisdom of their perspectives. Libraries became the repositories of that wisdom, preserving what people knew in each age, keeping that knowledge safe in one central place where it could be studied. Libraries made it possible for the next generation to explore what the beliefs, customs, and attitudes of previous eras had been.

A shared memory is important in creating a culture, and thanks to libraries, people were able to look back on the founding of that culture and understand its history, its important events, its founders, its laws. Having libraries also helped the younger generation to proceed to the next stage of the culture's growth, since it is difficult to move forward without first knowing where one has already been.