The Library Module. So important but yet so... boring. The Library module is where the foundation of your oh-so important Lightroom workflow begins. And like any foundation it is important that it is solid and well understood. I know, I know, you want to get into the good stuff of Lightroom - the Development Module. We'll get there eventually but first we have to take care of the "nerdy" stuff. But stick with me and I promise you will be happy that you "nerded out" and built a strong Lightroom foundation! Now you can technically move on through all the modules of Lightroom with only the knowledge of the import process but please don't. Your future self will thank you for learning all you can about the Library Module and Workspace and building that strong foundation.

So this what your default Workspace looks like in the Library Module ⬇️ 

There is A LOT going on! Pictures and words and numbers and colors and shapes and it can be overwhelming. But while it appears overwhelming, Lightroom gives you the ability to customize just about everything in your workspace to minimize and declutter your Workspace. We will discuss customizing your Workspace in another post (and maybe a video). But for now I just want you to know WHAT all these things are.

At the very top of your Workspace you have your Identity Plate (on the left) and the Module Picker (on the right). 

The Identity Plate does not serve much of a functional purpose, but if you use multiple catalogs (which I don't recommend) it can indicate which Workspace you are using as you can have different Identity plates for different Catalogs. 

The Module Picker is where you can pick what module you want to use - shocking, I know.

Just below the Identity Plate is The Navigator Panel.

The Navigator panel displays a preview of your selected image and you can zoom and pan the selected photo.

Under the Navigator panel you can find the Catalog panel. The Catalog panel displays how many files are in your current Catalog. And you quickly access ALL Photographs, Synced Photographs, Quick Collection and the Previous Import.

Beneath the Catalog panel is the Folders panel. There you can view and access different drives and folders.

The Collections panel can be found under the Files panel. In the Collections panel you can access and create different Collections. Collections are pretty great and they're going to get there own blog and /or video in the future.

The last panel on the left side of your workspace is the Publish Services panel. This is where you can connect different services(i.e. Social Media accounts) to share your work to.

Below the Publish Services panel and spanning the bottom of your workflow screen in the Filmstrip. This is where you can view your images in a horizontal, scrolling fashion. There are also Filter options available above the Filmstrip.

Above the Filmstrip is the Toolbar. You can select different viewing modes and sort your images from the Toolbar. You can also accent the Painter tool and change the size of your thumbnails from the Toolbar. I generally don't use the Toolbar so I tap the "T" key to hide it.

Above the image display area of the workspace is the Filter Bar. From the Filter Bar you can filter images by a multitude of options. It's a great way to find images!

Moving on to the upper right portion of the workspace you will find the Histogram panel. The Histogram panel shows your selected images' information - ISO, Focal Length, Aperture and Shutter Speed. It shows whether you are working on an original image, Smart Preview or Original + Smart Preview. It can also show Highlight and Shadow clipping. The Histogram panel is one of the more important panels in the Library Module.

Below the Histogram panel is the Quick Develop panel. The Quick Develop panel is pretty self explanatory. You can make quick adjustments to your selected image(s) or load a preset of Develop settings and adjust the White Balance. I don't do much with the Quick Develop panel as I prefer to do most of my work in the actual Develop Module.

Under the Quick Develop panel is the Keywording panel where you can add keywords to your images, see suggested keywords or use keyword sets.

Next is the Metadata panel and there are a BOATLOAD of options here. I keep mine set to Minimal but if you have time you should explore the Metadata panel to see what works for you.

Finally, the Comments panel is at the lower right of your workspace and it displays comments that have been made on images you shared via the Publish Services panel. This image displays "Comments not supported here" because I have not set up Publish Services.

WHEW!! That was a lot of info but it's good information to know. I'm aware it's not the most exciting stuff in Lightroom but again, your future self will thank you for taking the time to learn it!