Linux (kernel) can run any libraries in any combination. You are talking about distributions. Support for multiple versions of a library is not a goal for a typ

Linux (kernel) can run any libraries in any combination. You are talking about distributions. Support for multiple versions of a library is not a goal for a typical distribution. Typically, this is necessary for commercial software vendors, which have money to throw at the problem. If commercial software vendors needs this so badly, they can sign a support contract with distributor, so a dedicated team of maintainers will care about this problem with libraries for them. In the open-source world, it's an order of magnitude easier to patch the source, than introduce two versions of a same library. In rare cases, a -compat package is created, which then abandoned as soon as possible.