Enlightenment era libraries Library

thomas bodley founded bodleian library in 1602 public library.

the 17th , 18th centuries include known golden age of libraries; during of more important libraries founded in europe. francis trigge chained library of st. wulfram s church, grantham, lincolnshire founded in 1598 rector of nearby welbourne. thomas bodley founded bodleian library, open whole republic of learned , norwich city library established in 1608, , british library established in 1753. chetham s library in manchester, claims oldest public library in english-speaking world, opened in 1653. other town libraries of uk include of ipswich (1612), bristol (founded in 1613 , opened in 1615), , leicester (1632). shrewsbury school opened library townsfolk. mazarine library , bibliothèque sainte-geneviève founded in paris, austrian national library in vienna, national central library in florence, prussian state library in berlin, załuski library in warsaw, , m.e. saltykov-shchedrin state public library in st petersburg.

the long room of 18th century trinity college library in trinity college, dublin, ireland

at start of 18th century, libraries becoming increasingly public , more lending libraries. 18th century saw switch closed parochial libraries lending libraries. before time, public libraries parochial in nature , libraries chained books desks. libraries not uniformly open public.

even though british museum existed @ time , contained on 50,000 books, national library not open public, or majority of population. access museum depended on passes, of there waiting period of 3 4 weeks. moreover, library not open browsing. once pass library had been issued, reader taken on tour of library. many readers complained tour short.

subscription libraries


the british museum established in 1751 , had library containing on 50,000 books.

at start of 19th century, there virtually no public libraries in sense in understand term i.e. libraries provided public funds , freely accessible all. 1 important library in britain, namely chetham s library in manchester, , freely accessible public. however, there had come being whole network of library provision on private or institutional basis.

the increase in secular literature @ time encouraged spread of lending libraries, commercial subscription libraries. many small, private book clubs evolved subscription libraries, charging high annual fees or requiring subscribing members purchase shares in libraries. materials available subscribers tended focus on particular subject areas, such biography, history, philosophy, theology, , travel, rather works of fiction, particularly novel.

unlike public library, access restricted members. of earliest such institutions founded in late 17th century england, such chetham s library in 1653, innerpeffray library in 1680, , thomas plume s library in 1704. in american colonies, library company of philadelphia started in 1731 benjamin franklin in philadelphia.

parochial libraries attached anglican parishes or nonconformist chapels in britain emerged in 18th century, , prepared way local public libraries.

the increasing production , demand fiction promoted commercial markets led rise of circulating libraries, met need subscription libraries did not fulfil. william bathoe claimed commercial venture ‘the original circulating library’, opening doors @ 2 locations in london in 1737. circulating libraries charged subscription fees users , offered serious subject matter popular novels, difficulty in distinguishing circulating subscription libraries.

biblioteka załuskich, built in warsaw in mid 18th century

subscription libraries democratic in nature; created , communities of local subscribers aimed establish permanent collections of books , reading materials, rather selling collections annually circulating libraries tended do, in order raise funds support other commercial interests. though subscription libraries founded reading societies, committees, elected subscribers, chose books collection general, rather aimed @ particular religious, political or professional group. books selected collection chosen because mutually beneficial shareholders. committee selected librarians manage circulation of materials.

in britain, there more 200 commercial circulating libraries open in 1800, more twice number of subscription , private proprietary libraries operating @ same time. many proprietors pandered fashionable clientele, making ado sort of shop offered, lush interiors, plenty of room , long hours of service. these libraries called rental collections today.

private libraries

the linen hall library in belfast 18th-century subscription library. pictured in 1888, shortly before demolition.

private subscription libraries functioned in same manner commercial subscription libraries, though varied in many important ways. 1 of popular versions of private subscription library gentleman s library. membership restricted proprietors or shareholders, , ranged dozen or 2 between 4 , 5 hundred.

the liverpool subscription library gentlemen library. in 1798, renamed athenaeum when rebuilt newsroom , coffeehouse. had entrance fee of 1 guinea , annual subscription of 5 shillings. analysis of registers first twelve years provides glimpses of middle-class reading habits in mercantile community @ period. largest , popular sections of library history, antiquities, , geography, 283 titles , 6,121 borrowings, , belles lettres, 238 titles , 3,313 borrowings.

circulating library , stationery shop, gulgong, australia 1870

private subscription libraries held greater amount of control on both membership , types of books in library. there complete elimination of cheap fiction in private societies. subscription libraries prided on respectability. highest percentage of subscribers landed proprietors, gentry, , old professions.

towards end of 18th century , in first decades of nineteenth, need books , general education made felt among social classes created beginnings of industrial revolution. late 18th century saw rise in subscription libraries intended use of tradesmen. in 1797, there established @ kendal known economical library, designed principally use , instruction of working classes. there artizans library established @ birmingham in 1799. entrance fee 3 shillings. subscription 1 shilling 6 pence per quarter. library of general literature. novels, @ first excluded, afterwards admitted on condition did not account more one-tenth of annual income.