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1. Create or delete a library
Applies to: Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010
A SharePoint library is a location on a site where you
can create, store, update, and collaborate on files with
team members. Each type of library — document,
picture, form, wiki page, asset, translation management,
report, record, data connections, and slide — displays a
list of files and key information about the files, such as
who was the last person to modify the file, which helps
people to use the files to work together. Once you are done with a library, you can archive files, delete the
unused library, and save server disk space.
NOTE To create or delete a library, you must have permission to create lists.
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.

2. 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.
Translation Management Library To facilitate the manual document translation process, use a
Translation Management Library which helps organizations create, store, and manage translated
documents by providing both views and specific features to support that process. The Translation
Management Library tracks the relationship between a source document (an original version of a
document) and its translations, and it groups all of these documents together to make them easy to find.
©2009 Microsoft Corporation.

3. The Translation Management Library can also be configured with a special Translation Management
workflow that is designed to help manage the manual document translation process.
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).
Process Diagram Library (Metric and US Units) To store and share diagram process documents, such
as those created with Microsoft Office Visio 2010, use a Process Diagram Library. The Metric and US Units
libraries are tailored to their respective measurements.
NOTE Depending on your site and configuration, additional system libraries, such as the style library,
site assets library, and site pages library, are automatically created by SharePoint Server 2010. However,
you cannot create these specific libraries through the user interface.
Create a library
NOTE The procedure for creating a library in a Meeting Workspace site is different than the following
procedure. Find links to more information about creating and customizing a Meeting Workspace in the
See Also section.
1. Navigate to the site where you want to create the library.
2. Click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then click Create .
NOTE A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot
locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.
3. Under Libraries, click the type of library that you want, such as Document Library or Picture Library.
4. In the Name box, type a name for the library. The library name is required.
The name appears at the top of the library page, becomes part of the address for the library page, and
appears in navigational elements that help users to find and open the library.
5. In the Description box, type a description of the purpose of the library. The description is optional.
The description appears at the top of the library page, underneath the name of the library. If you plan to
enable the library to receive content by e-mail, you can add the e-mail address of the library to its
description, so that people can easily find it.
6. To add a link to this library on the Quick Launch, verify that Yes is selected in the Navigation section
7. Some libraries support the integration of incoming e-mail. If an Incoming E-mail section appears, your
administrator has enabled your site to receive content by e-mail. If you want people to add files to the
library by sending them as attachments to e-mail messages, click Yes. Then, in the E-mail address box,
type the first part of the address that you want people to use for the library.
Find links to more information about configuring e-mail settings for a library in the See Also section.
©2009 Microsoft Corporation.

4. 8. To create a version each time a file is checked into the library, in the Document Version
History or Picture Version History section, click Yes.
You can later choose whether you want to store both major and minor versions and how many versions of
each you want to track.
9. For some libraries, a Document Template section may be available, which lists the default programs for
creating new files. In the Document Templatesection, in the drop-down list, click the type of default file
that you want to be used as a template for files that are created in the library.
NOTE If content types are enabled, the default template is specified through the content type. If
multiple content types are enabled, you can choose from different default file types when you create new
files. In this case, the default file types are specified by the content types instead of theDocument
Template section when you create the library.
10. Click Create.
NOTE You can also set up a Translation Management workflow when you create a Translation
Management Library. Find links to more information about creating a Translation Management Library in
the See Also section.
Delete a library
IMPORTANT When you delete a library, you also delete documents, metadata about the documents,
version history, library settings and specific permission levels that are associated with the library. Before
deleting a library, you should make sure that no one is currently using the library and that no one is going
to need the documents. You should also ensure that you understand your organization's process and
policies for deleting libraries, which may restrict the permission to delete libraries.
1. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions, click View All Site Content, and
then under the appropriate Libraries section, click the name of the library.
NOTE A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot
locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.
2. Do one of the following:
For a picture library, On the Settings menu , click<library type> Library Settings.
For other libraries, under Library Tools, click the Library tab, and then in the Settings group,
click Library Settings.
3. Under Permissions and Management, click Delete this <library type> library.
4. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click OK if you are sure that you want to delete the
library.
TIP Depending on how your site is set up, you may be able to recover a library that you accidentally
deleted by using the Recycle Bin.
©2009 Microsoft Corporation.