Misplaced Pages

#41958

37-619: The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is a subscription library , museum, rare book repository and research center founded in 1747, and located at 50 Bellevue Avenue in Newport , Rhode Island . The building, designed by Peter Harrison and completed in March 1750, was the first purposely built library in the United States, and the oldest neo-Classical building in the country. It has been in continuous use since its opening. The building

74-513: A National Historic Landmark in 1966. Subscription library In the 18th century, there were virtually no public libraries in the sense in which we now understand the term i.e. libraries provided from public funds and freely accessible to all. Only one important library in Britain, Chetham's Library in Manchester, was fully and freely accessible to the public. However, during

111-879: A public library , access was often restricted to members. Some of the earliest such institutions were founded in Britain, such as Chetham's Library in 1653, Innerpeffray Library in 1680 and Thomas Plume's Library in 1704. In the American colonies , the Library Company of Philadelphia was started in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . By paying an initial fee and annual dues, members had access to books, maps, fossils, antique coins, minerals, and scientific instruments. This library began with 50 members, swelled to 100 quickly, and then grew prosperous enough to begin to publish its own books. When

148-400: A book was requested, the librarian would retrieve it and bring it to the member in the delivery room. In 1915, historian and architect Norman Isham restored the eighteenth century Harrison room to what he concluded was its original appearance. The Library's modern collection now includes more than 200,000 volumes as well as a museum collection of art and artifacts. The building was designated

185-604: A catalogue of 690 plays which he claimed to be ready to lend "upon reasonable considerations" from his premises in Westminster . Circulating libraries charged subscription fees to users and offered serious subject matter as well as the popular novels, thus the difficulty in clearly distinguishing circulating from subscription libraries. Occasionally subscription libraries called themselves 'circulating libraries', and vice versa. Many ordinary circulating libraries might call themselves 'subscription' libraries because they charged

222-754: A collection of national and international importance under the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Designation scheme, now administered by Arts Council England . Paintings featured as a part of the library's fine arts collection include portraits of William Whitaker, the Reverend John Radcliffe, Robert Thyer , the Reverend Francis Robert Raines , and Elizabeth Leigh. The collection includes An Allegory with Putti and Satyrs , oil on canvas, attributed to 16th-century artist and Netherlander Vincent Sellaer . One of

259-629: A copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle annotated by Thomas Gudlawe. Collections include 16th- and 17th-century printed works, periodicals and journals, local history sources, broadsides and ephemera . In addition to print materials, the library holds a collection of over 1,000 manuscripts, including 41 medieval texts. Chetham's Library is an Accredited Museum under the Arts Council England Accreditation scheme. The whole of its collections are Designated as

296-434: A subscription, while the earliest private subscription libraries, such as Leeds , Warrington , or Liverpool, describe themselves as 'circulating' libraries in their titles. Since many circulating libraries called themselves after the town where they were situated, it is often difficult to distinguish the type of a particular library, especially since many are only known to posterity from a surviving book label, with nothing but

333-688: Is part of the Kay Street–Catherine Street–Old Beach Road Historic District , and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The Company of the Redwood Library was established in 1747, in Newport, Rhode Island, by Abraham Redwood and 45 colonists with the goal of making written knowledge more widely available to the Newport community. The original section of the building was constructed between 1748 and 1750 by architect Peter Harrison . Only

370-631: Is the oldest free public reference library in the English-speaking world. Chetham's Hospital, which contains both the library and Chetham's School of Music , was established in 1653 under the will of Humphrey Chetham (1580–1653), for the education of "the sons of honest, industrious and painful parents", and a library for the use of scholars. The library has been in continuous use since 1653. It operates as an independent charity. The library holds more than 100,000 volumes of printed books, of which 60,000 were published before 1851 including

407-525: Is unclear whether that was due to monetary restriction on the part of the Redwood Library, or their disapproval of what could be construed as Hunt's irreverence for Peter Harrison's architecture. In 1875, plans did go forward to develop another expansion to the Library. The Rovensky Delivery Room was designed by famed architect George Champlin Mason . At the time, the collections were in closed stacks, and when

SECTION 10

#1732772573042

444-564: The Battle of Rhode Island during the American Revolution . Ezra Stiles was one of the most prominent librarians at the Library, the influential founder of Brown University and later president of Yale University . In 1833 the Library furthered its abilities as an institution, and re-established itself as The Company of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. By 1858, the membership and collection had grown so much that an expansion

481-647: The Georgian - Palladian style. The main facade facing Bellevue avenue is based upon a plate in Edward Hoppus' Andrea Palladio's Architecture published in 1735. The oldest section, today called the Harrison Room, still houses the majority of the original books that were purchased as a collection in London. Occupying British troops allegedly looted numerous books (many of which were later returned) prior to

518-679: The Library Company of Philadelphia is older, founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin . The Redwood Library and Athenaeum predates the Charleston Library Society (founded in 1748), New York Society Library (founded in 1754), and the Boston Athenaeum (founded in 1807). It was the first classical public building built in America, designed in the manner of Italian Renaissance Architect Andrea Palladio , in

555-603: The collegiate church (later to be the cathedral ). There was accommodation for the warden, eight fellows, four clerks, and six choristers. The Manchester Free Grammar School for Lancashire Boys was built between the church and the college buildings between 1515 and 1518. The college was dissolved in 1547 by the Chantries Act and sold to the Earl of Derby . It was re-founded as a catholic foundation by Queen Mary and again disbanded by Protestant Queen Elizabeth I . In 1578

592-432: The subscribers , chose books for the collection that were general, rather than aimed at a particular religious, political or professional group. The books selected for the collection were chosen because they would be mutually beneficial to the shareholders. The committee also selected the librarians who would manage the circulation of materials. Subscription libraries were also referred to as 'proprietary' libraries due to

629-949: The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, they did so in the same building as Franklin's Library Company and delegates were given member privileges for the library. Franklin's subscription library became so popular that many subscription libraries were founded in the colonies, making him remark that it was, "the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous". The first subscription library in Canada, The Quebec Library/Bibliotheque de Quebec, opened in 1783. The materials available to subscribers tended to focus on particular subject areas, such as biography , history , philosophy , theology and travel , rather than works of fiction, particularly

666-417: The Library should be "for the use of schollars and others well affected", and instructed the librarian "to require nothing of any man that cometh into the library". The 24 feoffees appointed by Humphrey Chetham set out to acquire a major collection of books and manuscripts that would cover the whole range of available knowledge and would rival the college libraries of Oxford and Cambridge. In order to protect

703-579: The Manor , in the centre of the medieval town of Manchester, stood on a sandstone bluff , at the confluence of the River Irwell and the River Irk . In 1421 the rector of the parish church, Thomas de la Warre (Lord of the manor of Manchester), obtained a licence from Henry V to refound the church as a collegiate foundation. He donated his manor house for use as the college of priests' buildings for

740-443: The advent of free public libraries in the 19th century, most subscription libraries were replaced or taken over by the governing authorities. In London, numerous scientific dabblers , amateurs, professionals concentrated in the comparatively small geographic area began to form a unique development – the learned society : These societies are voluntary associations of men and women who have come together because they are interested in

777-529: The aims and objects which the societies serve and they feel that they can pursue those interests better as members of a society, rather than as individuals. The libraries therefore have been collected together for the purpose of serving the objects to which the various societies are dedicated and they do this, for the most part, by serving their members. Learned society libraries were private but were owned by larger groups of people. Materials were often lent or borrowed by qualified individuals or institutions outside

SECTION 20

#1732772573042

814-544: The buildings by J. E. Gregan (1850s), Alfred Waterhouse (1878) (grade II listed), and J. Medland Taylor (1883–95). Manchester Grammar School was extended along Long Millgate in 1870. Manchester Grammar School moved to Fallowfield in the 1930s, and after standing empty for many years the original building was destroyed during the Second World War, leaving only its new block. This became part of Chetham's School of Music in 1978. The old college building, which became

851-505: The century, there came into being a whole network of library provision on a private or institutional basis. The increase in secular literature at this time encouraged the establishment of commercial subscription libraries. Many small, private book clubs evolved into subscription libraries, charging high annual fees or requiring subscribing members to purchase shares. Subscription libraries would in turn use these earnings to expand their collections and later create their own publications. Unlike

888-456: The collection available to online users, via digitization projects. The library is open to readers free of charge, Monday-Friday 09.00-12.30 and 13.30-16.30 by prior appointment. Tours of the library for visitors are bookable online via the library website. Catalogues of printed items and of archives and manuscripts held at Chetham's Library are provided online. The manor house of the Lord of

925-490: The collegiate church was re-founded by charter as Christ's College and re-occupied by the warden and fellows. In the Civil War it was used as a prison and arsenal. In 1653 the college buildings were bought with the bequest of Humphrey Chetham, for use as a free library and blue coat charity school . At that time there was no facility for independent study in the north of England and Chetham's will of 1651 had stipulated that

962-417: The expectation that subscribers not only pay an annual fee, but that they must also invest in shares . These shares could be transferred by sale, gift or bequest . Many could not afford to purchase shares to become a member, even though they may have belonged to reading clubs . The increasing production and demand for fiction promoted by rising literacy rates and the expansion of commercial markets, led to

999-501: The most substantial collections pertains to Belle Vue Zoo and Gardens, Manchester's most renowned entertainment attraction and zoological centre, in operation from the 1830s to the 1980s. The collection contains thousands of posters, programmes and photographs, as well as the financial and business papers of the owner, John Jennison; large numbers of items in this collection are available in digitised form online. A 2014 grant of £45,000 obtained by Chetham's Library allowed curators to make

1036-403: The music school in 1969, still incorporates Chetham's Library and is Grade I listed . A fragment of a 17th century cross was relocated to the library's gardens in 1913, and is listed at Grade II. Past librarians include Robert Thyer (1709–1781), who became Librarian in 1732. Peter Hordern (died 1836) was librarian and also the minister of St Clement's Chapel, Chorlton . Thomas Jones held

1073-474: The name as identification. In Britain there were more than 200 commercial circulating libraries open in 1800, more than twice the number of subscription and private proprietary libraries that were operating at the same time. Many proprietors pandered to the most fashionable clientele, making much ado about the sort of shop they offered, the lush interiors, plenty of room and long hours of service. "These 'libraries' would be called rental collections today." With

1110-416: The newly acquired books from rising damp the Library was housed on the first floor and, in accordance with the provisions of Chetham's will, the books were chained to the presses (bookcases). Twenty-four carved oak stools with S-shaped hand-holds (which are still in use) were provided as seats for readers. In 1718 the feoffees offered the Manchester poet and inventor of a system of shorthand , John Byrom ,

1147-455: The novel. Subscription libraries were democratic in nature; created by and for communities of local subscribers who aimed to establish permanent collections of books and reading materials, rather than selling their collections annually as the circulating libraries tended to do, in order to raise funds to support their other commercial interests. Even though the subscription libraries were often founded by reading societies , committees, elected by

Redwood Library and Athenaeum - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-459: The post of Library Keeper. Byrom, who was an avid collector of books, declined the offer but after his good friend, Robert Thyer , became Librarian in 1732, frequently acted as an agent for the library, purchasing books at London auctions. Byrom's library, which included the manuscript of his poem "Christmas Day" (which became the Christmas carol, "Christians Awake") and some 2,800 printed books,

1221-478: The rise of circulating libraries , which met a need that subscription libraries did not fulfill. William Bathoe opened his commercial venture at two locations in London in 1737, and claimed to have been 'the Original Circulating library'. An early circulating library may even have been established in the mid-17th century; in an edition of "Tom Tyler and his Wife" in 1661 Francis Kirkman included

1258-744: The society. Societies were concerned mainly with the sciences, physical and biological, and often cooperated with other groups like the Royal Society . Exclusive subscription libraries, the world's oldest being the Chemical Society in London, was founded in 1841 for the general advancement of chemistry . Its primary objective was to guide and direct original research in chemistry and to disseminate that knowledge through debates , lectures and its own journal . Chetham%27s Library Chetham's Library in Manchester , England,

1295-620: Was needed. This expansion, which became known as the Roderick Terry Reading Room, was produced by George Snell of Boston. Within 10 years of the Reading Room being completed, architect Richard Morris Hunt was contacted to furnish another expansion for the library. His plans ultimately called for "an entirely new and enlarged structure of stone and marble shall (that) take the place of the existing wooden erections." Ultimately, Hunt's plans were rejected, although it

1332-477: Was presented to the library by his descendant, Eleanora Atherton , in 1870. The books were originally uncatalogued and placed in the presses in size order. The first catalogue wasn't produced until 1791, and then was written in Latin and only listed the size and subject of each book. The practice of chaining the books was abandoned in the mid eighteenth century when gates were erected to prevent theft. Chetham's

1369-470: Was the meeting place of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels when Marx visited Manchester in the summer of 1845. Facsimiles of the economics books they studied can be seen on a table in the window alcove where they would meet. The research they undertook during this series of visits to the library led ultimately to their work, The Communist Manifesto . Therefore, the library acts as a site of historical importance for visiting communists. Additions were made to

#41958