Learn more about libraries

You can create and manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and other types of files in a SharePoint library. Some libraries are created for you when you create a new site, such as the Shared Documents library in a team site. You can customize these libraries for your purposes, or you can create your own additional libraries. Each type of library has a specific purpose and some have a different set of behaviors and features.

Document library     For many file types, including documents and spreadsheets, use a document library. You can store other kinds of files in a document library, although some file types are blocked for security reasons. When you work with programs that are not blocked, you can create those files from the library. For example, your marketing team may have its own document library for planning materials, news releases, and publications.

Picture library    To share a collection of digital pictures or graphics, use a picture library. Although pictures can be stored in other types of SharePoint libraries, picture libraries have several advantages. For example, from a picture library you can view pictures in a slide show, download pictures to your computer, and edit pictures with compatible graphics programs, such as Microsoft Paint. Consider creating a picture library if you want to store pictures of team events or product launches. You can also link to pictures in your library from elsewhere on your site, such as from wikis, and blogs.

Form library    If you need to manage a group of XML-based business forms, use a form library. For example, your organization may want to use a form library for expense reports. Setting up a form library requires an XML editor or XML form design program, such as Microsoft InfoPath. The form that people fill out is just an .xml file that contains the data (and only the data) that was entered into the form, such as the expense date and the amount. Everything else that makes up the expense report is provided by the form template. After people fill out forms, you can merge the form data or export it for analysis.

Wiki page library    To create a collection of connected wiki pages, use a wiki page library. A wiki enables multiple people to gather routine information in a format that is easy to create and modify. You can also add wiki pages that contain pictures, tables, hyperlinks, and internal links, to your library. For example, if your team creates a wiki site for a project, the site can store tips and tricks in a series of pages that connect to each other.

Asset library     To share and manage digital media assets, such as image, audio and video files, use an asset library. An asset library makes it easier for users to discover and reuse digital media files that others have already created, such as logos and corporate images. An asset library also provides content types with properties and views for managing and browsing media assets, such as thumbnails and metadata keywords. For example, you may want to manage and store branded images and reusable content fragments from applications so they are available throughout your enterprise and consistently used.

Data Connections library     To simplify the maintenance and management of data connections, use a data connection library. A data connection library (DCL) is a centralized way to store Office Data Connection (ODC) files. Each of these files (.odc) contains information about how to locate, log on, query, and access an external data source. Centralizing ODC files in a data connection library also makes it possible to share, manage, and search data connection files from within a SharePoint site, and helps ensure that business data and reports, especially spreadsheets, maintain a consistent set of values and formula results as "one version of the truth".

Slide Library     To effectively and efficiently share presentation slides, use a Slide Library. Slide Libraries help you share, store, and manage slides from Microsoft PowerPoint, or a compatible application. When you publish a presentation to a Slide Library, the slides upload as individual files, so they can be independently modified and tracked. The Slide Library maintains a link to the presentation, so that you are notified when slides change. The library allows you to sort slides, check them out, and can help keep track of history. Slide Libraries also provide special features for finding, managing, and reusing slides.

Record library     To keep a central repository for storing and managing your organization's records, or important business documents, use a record library. For example, your organization may need to adhere to compliance regulations which require an organized process for managing pertinent documents. A Records Center site can contain a number of record libraries for storing different types of records. For each library you can set policies that determine what records to store, how to route and manage the documents, and how long these records must be retained.

Report library     To simplify the creation, management and delivery of web pages, documents and key performance indicators (KPI) of metrics and goals, use a report library. The report library is a central place where you can create and save reports, such as Excel workbooks, and dashboard pages. When you publish an Excel workbook to a reports library, it is single-click enabled to open in browser view, which is a convenient way to see the workbook without adding it to a Web Parts Page.

Data Connections Library for PerformancePoint    To simplify the maintenance and management of data connection files for PerformancePoint, use the data connection library for PerformancePoint. In this library, you can store Office Data Connection (ODC) and Universal Data connection (UDC).

Dashboards library    Contains Web Part pages, Web Part pages with Status Lists, and PerformancePoint deployed dashboards.

Process Diagram Library (Metric and US Units)    To store and share diagram process documents, such as those created with Microsoft Visio 2010, use a Process Diagram Library. The Metric and US Units libraries are tailored to their respective measurements.