Libraries

complete catalogue made by Audiffredi, 1761-88, is a model of expert and exact work. The Laurentian Library at Florence is the finest collection not under government control. It is not large in point of numbers, but of the highest rarity and interest. Thirty-two government libraries are under control of the Minister of Public Instruction, and in these are included seven national libraries in the leading cities, and the libraries of the universities of the first class at Bologna, Naples, Padua, Pavia, Pisa, Rome. Among the world's great libraries are the following:

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property and his entire library of nearly 300 volumes. Yale began in 1700 with a donation of books from each of its ten trustees, with the words, 'I give these books for the founding of a college in Connecticut. Kings College, now Columbia University, chartered in 1754, received in 1756, by bequest of Dr. Bristow, of London, his library of about 1,500 volumes, the library of Joseph Murray, and other gifts of books. In 1757 Princeton had its first building, with a library of 1,200 volumes. Before 1800 there were founded eighteen other college libraries. At the present

Of these libraries, only three have modern printed catalogues-viz., the Bibliothèque Nationale, the British Museum, and the Advocates' Library.

UNITED STATES.-Library of Congress. In April, 1800, Congress appropriated $5,000 for the purchase of books necessary for its use and for housing them. The 3,000 volumes that had accumulated were destroyed when the Capitol was burned in 1814. In 1851 a second fire destroyed 35,000 of the 55,000 volumes which the library then contained. In 1897 it was transferred to its new building, one of the finest and best adapted to its purpose in the world. (See LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.)

College Libraries.-The earliest library foundation in America was that established in 1621 by the gift of an unnamed person in London to the college for the education of the natives at Henrico, Va. This gift was supplemented by additional volumes from persons in England and the Colonies to the young college where children of both sexes were already being taught in 1616. The college and library were destroyed in the Indian massacre of 1622.

Harvard College was founded in 1636 by an appropriation of onehalf the annual rates of the colony; but its active impulse came two years later, with the bequest from John Harvard of one-half of his VOL. VII.-Jan. '11.

314,902 250,000

Public Libraries.-The will of John Oxenbridge, of Boston, dated Jan. 12, 1673-4, makes mention of a bequest of books to the 'public library'; and reference to such an institution also occurs in the town records for March 11, 1695, but no further information_concerning it has been found. In 1700 New York City received a donation of books from Rev. John Sharp, chaplain of Governor Bellomont, and to these were added, in 1730, 1,642 volumes bequeathed by Rev. John Millington, of England, to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and given by it for the benefit of New York and the neighboring provinces. A room was provided for this library in the City Hall, and in 1754 it was taken into the collection of the Society Library. In 1700 South Carolina passed the provincial library law for the en

Libraries

couragement of parochial libraries. The Redwood Library at Newport, R. I., was founded in 1730. Twenty years later, Kittery, Me., had a library, half public, half private, called the 'Revolving Library,' circulating in three parishes. Mention should be made of the thirty-nine parochial libraries established between 1698 and 1730 in the Colonies, through the efforts of Rev. Thomas Bray, founder of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

New Hampshire, in 1849, passed the first known law enabling towns to establish and maintain libraries by taxation. Massachusetts had passed a similar act, for the benefit of Boston only, in 1848, but made the law general in 1851. Maine followed in 1854, Vermont in 1865, Ohio in 1867. Illinois passed a liberal law in 1872, providing for the management as well as establishment of public libraries; and this law served as a model in most of the Western States. Some of the State laws have made such indifferent provision for the legal support of libraries that few have been established within their borders.

A very considerable number of books was distributed among the libraries of this country by foreign governments during the forties of the nineteenth century. This distribution was the result of the efforts of a Swiss, Alexandre Vattemare. Vattemare was a public entertainer of much talent and renown. In his travels in Europe he was impressed by the large numbers of duplicate and unused books in public and private collections. He conceived the idea of sending these books to the United States in exchange for specimens of the natural resources minerals, woods, flora and fauna of the new country. He himself came to this country to solicit the co-operation of the State legislatures in his plan. He succeeded to the extent of introducing about half a million volumes into this country. His work resulted in the establishment of the present International Exchange system, maintained by the Smithsonian Institution. Vattemare is recognized as one of the founders of the Boston Public Library.

Massachusetts in 1890 passed a law creating a library commission of five persons to foster the establishment and growth of public libraries; as a result, 36 libraries were established in 1891. In 1891, New Hampshire enacted a similar law. In 1889, New York provided State aid for libraries, and in 1891 placed the free library system under the charge of the Regents of the University, made the State Library the head of the system, and encouraged towns to change from the old school district to the new town system and receive State aid. In 1853 the first convention of libra

Libraries

rians in the United States assembled in New York City. But the tidal wave of library spirit settled back for twenty-three years, until the Centennial impulse again pushed it to the front. At another conference of librarians held in Philadelphia in 1876, the American Library Association was organized, with Justin Winsor, then librarian of the Boston Public Library, as president. In the same year the first number of The Library Journal was published. Both have exerted great influence in the dissemination of sound library ideas and principles.

In 1885 the New York Library Club was organized for the benefit of the libraries of New York City and its vicinity. There are seventeen other similar clubs, city and local, in various parts of the country. In 1890 the librarians of New York State formed themselves into an association which holds annual meetings. Since that date thirtythree other State and library associations have been organized. During the same period, twenty-two State library commissions have been established, not including New York, and the system of travelling libraries has been adopted by each. It is the boast of Massachusetts that every one of her townships has a public library.

In 1887, a Library School was established at Columbia College; it was afterward removed to Albany as the New York State Library School. There are six other such schools in the United States, and in addition seven summer schools in library science are regularly conducted. Many of the larger have an apprenticeship system for training their own assistants.

The principal public libraries of the United States are:

Boston Public, $357,789; of the Cincinnati Public, $160,718; of the St. Louis Public, $704,204.

School District Libraries.-In 1835, New York State appropriated $55,000 a year, to be apportioned among the school districts, for buying books for general circulation, and required an equal amount to be raised by taxation for the same purpose. The school authorities had

United States Public Libraries (1910).

In

1895 the International Institute of Bibliography was established in Brussels and the Concilium Bibliographicum in Zürich. The former endeavors to collect and supply any information in any way relating to, or to be found in, books. It occupies a building in 1 Rue de Musees Royaux, and is administered by a board of directors. It has a 'Repertoire Bibliographique Universel' of 7,000,000 cards, which may be consulted gratuitously, while charge of 5 cents a card is made for copies. It also maintains other information services. Affiliated bodies are the Offices Internationaux de Documentation de la Chasse, de la Peche, de l'Aeronautique, de Questions Concernant la Femme, l'Institut Polaire International,

etc.

a

The Concilium Bibliographicum collects and distributes bibliographical information on zoology, anatomy, physiology, paleontology, geology, microscopy, and electro-physics.

The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature (London) was established in 1900.

See NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-Library Journal (New York, 1876 to date); Fletcher's Public Libraries in America (1894); Greenwood's Free Public Libraries (1886); Dana's Library Primer (1899); Plummer's Hints to Small Libraries (1902); Hortschansky's Bibliogr. des Bib

Libraries

In

complete catalogue made by Audiffredi, 1761-88, is a model of expert and exact work. The Laurentian Library at Florence is the finest collection not under the government control, not large in point of numbers, but of the highest rarity and interest. Jan., 1904, the National Library at Turin suffered irreparable loss by fire. Thirty-two government libraries are now under control of the Minister of Public Instruction, and in these are included seven national libraries in the leading cities, and the libraries of the universities of the first class at Bologna, Naples, Padua, Pavia, Pisa, and Rome. Space fails to

even mention scores of libraries of high rank.

The earliest library foundation in America was that established in 1621, by the gift, on the part of an unnamed person in London, to the college for the education of the natives at Henrico, Va. This gift was supplemented by additional vols. from persons in England and the colonies to the young college where 'children of both sexes were already being taught in 1616. The college and library were destroyed in the general Indian massacre of 1622. Harvard College was founded in 1636 by an appropriation of onehalf the annual rates of the colony, but its active impulse came two years later with the bequest from John Harvard of one-half of his property and his entire library of nearly 300 vols. Yale began, in 1700, with a donation of books from each of its ten trustees, with the words, 'I give these books for the founding of a college in Connecticut.' The Junto, a debating society organized by Franklin, in 1729, at Philadelphia, became later (1731) the Library Company of Philadelphia, the mother of all the subscription and circulating libraries of America, now containing 225,000 vols. Kings College, now Columbia University, chartered in 1754, received in 1756, by bequest of Dr. Bristow, of London, his library of about 1,500 vols., the library of Joseph Murray, and other gifts of books. In 1757 Princeton had its first building, with a library of 1,200 vols. Before 1800 there were founded eighteen other college libraries; the 19th century opened on twenty-two American college libraries; it closed with thirty times as many. The will of John Oxenbridge, of Boston, dated Jan. 12, 1673-4, makes mention of a bequest of books to the public library'; and reference to such an institution also occurs in the town records for Mar. 11, 1695, but no further information concerning it has been found. In 1700 New York city received a donation of books from Rev. John

308

Sharp, chaplain of Gov. Bellomont, and to these were added, in 1730, 1,642 vols. bequeathed by Rev. John Millington, of Newington, Eng., to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and given by it for the benefit of New York and the neighboring provinces. A room was provided for this library in the City Hall, and in 1754 it was taken into the collection of the Society Library. In 1700 South Carolina passed the provincial library law for the encouragement of parochial libraries. The Redwood Library at Newport, R. I., was founded in 1730. Twenty years later Kittery, Me., had a library, half public, half private, called the Revolving Library,' circulating in three parishes. Mention should be made of the thirty-nine parochial libraries established between 1698 and 1730 in the colonies, through the efforts of Rev. Thos. Bray, founder of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

In April, 1800, Congress appropriated $5,000 for the purchase of books necessary for its use and for housing them. The 3,000 vols. that had accumulated were destroyed when the Capitol was burned in 1814. In Dec., 1851, a second fire destroyed 35,000 of the 55,000 vols. which the library then contained. Since then its growth has kept pace with the library movement of the last half of the 19th century. In 1897 it was transferred to its new building, one of the finest and best adapted to its purpose in the world. On June 30, 1905, it contained 1,344,618 books, 82,744 maps and charts (pieces), 410,352 pieces of music, 183,724 prints, and a collection of manuscripts, estimated by the custodian in 1904 at 121,266 pieces.

New York state, in 1835, passed a law appropriating $55,000 a year to be apportioned to the different school districts, for buying books for general circulation, and requiring an equal amount to be raised by taxation for the same purpose. The school authorities had charge of these libraries which prospered until 1853, when they contained 1,604,210 vols.; from that time they declined through mismanagement or other causes, and in 1875 nearly one-half of the books had disappeared. Through the influence of Horace Mann a law was enacted in Massachusetts in 1837 allowing school districts to establish libraries; in 1842 only one-fourth of the districts had formed libraries; interest waned, and in 1850 the law was repealed, the total number of vols. reported in 1849 being 91,539. Eighteen other states tried the school library system, but it proved successful in only five-California,

Libraries

Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and New Jersey. Failure was due to defects in legislation and administration and also to the school district proving too small a unit for efficient library work.' New Hampshire, in 1849, passed the first known law enabling towns to establish and maintain libraries by taxation. Massachusetts had passed a similar act for the benefit of Boston only in 1848, but made the law general in 1851; Maine followed in 1854, Vermont in 1865, Ohio in 1867. Illinois passed a liberal law in 1872 providing for the management as well as establishment of public libraries, taken as a model in most of the Western states. Some of the state laws have made such niggardly provision for the legal support of libraries that few have been established within their borders. Massachusetts in 1890 passed a law creating a library commission of five persons to foster the establishment and growth of public libraries; as a result 36 libraries were established in 1891. In this year New Hampshire enacted a similar law. New York

having provided state aid for libraries in 1889, in 1891 placed the free library system under the charge of the Regents of the University, made the State Library the head of the system, and encouraged towns to change from the old school district to the new town system and receive state aid. The new movement began, as indicated above, at the middle of the nineteenth century. The great Boston Public Library was established in 1852. In 1853 the first convention of librarians that ever assembled in the United States met in New York city; fifty-three persons were in attendance, as though one responded for each year of the century to that date.' But the tidal wave of library spirit settled back for 23 years until the centennial impulse again pushed it to the front. At another conference of librarians held in Philadelphia Oct. 4-6, 1876, the American Library Association was organized with Justin Winsor, then librarian of the Boston Public Library, as president. In September of the same year the first number of the Library Journal was published. Both have exerted an incalculable influence for the dissemination of sound library ideas and principles throughout the civilized world. In 1877 twenty-two American librarians were present at an international conference of librarians in London, where the Library Association of the United Kingdom was organized, to advance the library interests of Great Britain.

In 1885 the New York Library Club was organized for the benefit