Subscription library
Many small, private book clubs evolved into subscription libraries, charging high annual fees or requiring subscribing members to purchase shares.[3] By paying an initial fee and annual dues, members had access to books, maps, fossils, antique coins, minerals, and scientific instruments.[5] 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 the novel.Even though the subscription libraries were often founded by reading societies, committees, elected by the subscribers, chose books for the collection that were general, rather than aimed at a particular religious, political or professional group.[7][8] 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 a catalogue of 690 plays which he claimed to be ready to lend "upon reasonable considerations" from his premises in Westminster.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.
private libraryBiblioteka ZałuskichWarsawlibrarypublic libraryBritish MuseumChetham's LibraryInnerpeffray LibraryThomas Plume's LibraryAmerican coloniesthe Library Company of PhiladelphiaBenjamin FranklinPhiladelphia, Pennsylvaniabiographyhistoryphilosophytheologytravelreading societiessubscriberssharesbequestreading clubsCirculating libraryGulgongcirculating librariesFrancis KirkmanWestminsterWarringtonscientific dabblerslearned societyRoyal SocietyChemical SocietychemistrydebatesjournalSydney Mechanics' School of ArtsMelbourne AthenaeumPMI Victorian History LibraryLiterary and Historical Society of QuebecAtwater Library of the Mechanics' Institute of MontrealLibrary of ParliamentCentral Catholic LibraryAmerican Library in ParisNeilson Hays LibraryThe Leadhills Miners' LibraryLeeds LibraryLinen Hall LibraryThe Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon TyneThe Athenaeum (Liverpool)Portico LibraryPlymouth AthenaeumDevon and Exeter InstitutionNottingham Subscription LibraryMorrab LibraryBath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionBradford Mechanics' Institute LibraryHighgate Literary and Scientific InstitutionLondon LibraryBirmingham and Midland InstituteGladstone's LibraryBishopsgate InstituteArmitt LibraryLibrary Company of PhiladelphiaRedwood Library and AthenaeumCharleston Library SocietyProvidence AthenaeumNew York Society LibrarySocial Law LibraryBoston AthenæumSalem AthenaeumAthenaeum of PhiladelphiaPortsmouth AthenaeumGeneral Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New YorkMaine Charitable Mechanic AssociationNew York Mercantile LibraryThe Institute Library (New Haven)Mercantile Library of CincinnatiSt. Louis Mercantile Library AssociationCongregational Library & ArchivesSan Francisco Mechanics' InstituteLanier Library AssociationAthenaeum Music & Arts LibraryJohn Trigg Ester LibraryJohn FelthamChisholm, HughEncyclopædia BritannicaNew EnglandThe New York TimesLibrarieslibrary scienceAcademicArchiveBranchChristianConsortiumDigitalshadowHybridLendingLibrary of thingsMedicineMobileNationalPresidentialPrisonPrivatePublicCarnegieResearchSchoolLearning Resource CentrevirtualSpecial collectionsSpecial libraryStreetTransportationTravelinglibrarianDistance educationE-scienceensemblePeriodicals/serialsInformation professionalInformationistLibrary and information scientist