Part 1 — COURSE 8: HISTORY OF LIBRARIES.

There are not wanting those who claim as the first and greatest of all libraries that vast and glorious “stone book of nature.” It was by observing the ability of hard substances to leave their impress on those of a softer nature—the means by which this great stone-book was written—that man acquired the art of writing, of recording his opinions and the various incidents of his life and the lives of those around him. In the earliest stages of his progress in this art this was done on the walls of his rough habitations, but later man adopted a more permanent and convenient form on bark, leaves, skin, tablets of clay and like substances.

It was for the preservation of these that “houses of the records” came to be established throughout the countries of the ancient peoples, sometimes as parts of their temples and sometimes as distinct buildings, and it is from these that our modern libraries have evolved.

As a study, the history of libraries only appeals to a small portion of the library profession, therefore, I am not giving special reading lists, but simply a brief outline of the requirements necessary, a select bibliography of the more important works, and the questions one would expect a student to be able to answer should he present himself for examination. For a general idea of primitive libraries Edward Clodd’s “Story of the alphabet” Library of Useful Stories, Richardson’s “Beginnings of libraries,” 1914, and Rawlings’ “Story of books,” 1912 should be read as an introduction to the subject.

Requirements.

Origin, varieties and history of libraries in general. The ancient libraries of Assyria, Babylonia, Chaldea, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Mediæval libraries and their modern successors—Monastic, Royal and University libraries. Private libraries should also be known, and students must become familiar with the lives of eminent book-collectors from the earliest times to the present day. Such names as the following should be noted: Benedict; Richard de Bury; Nicholas V.; the Medici Family; Jean Grolier; Sir Thomas Bodley; Gabriel Naudé; Jules Mazarin; Robert Harley; Sir Hans Sloane; J. A. Zaluski; Duke of Roxburghe; Lord Spencer; Lord Crawford; P. Morgan; H. E. Widener.

The principal British libraries are:—

British Museum, London (including the departments at South Kensington); Bodleian Library, Oxford; University Library, Cambridge; John Rylands Library, Manchester; Chetham Library, Manchester; London Library; Guildhall Library, London; Sion College, London; Lambeth Palace, London; Trinity College, Dublin; National Library of Ireland; National Library of Scotland, formerly The Advocate’s Library, Edinburgh; University Libraries of Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Edinburgh and Glasgow; Signet Library, Edinburgh; National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

The principal American libraries are:—

Boston Public Library; Chicago Public Library; Harvard University; John Crerar Library, Chicago; Newberry Library, Chicago; Yale University Library, New Haven; New York Public Library; Columbia University, New York; New York State Library, Albany; Public Library, Pittsburg, Philadelphia University; Library of Congress, Washington; University Library, Chicago; Cornell University, Ithaca.

The principal European libraries are:—

Austria.—Royal Library, Vienna; University Library, Vienna.

Belgium.—Royal Library, Brussels; University Library, Ghent.

Denmark.—Royal Library, Copenhagen.

France.—Arsenal Library, Paris; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; St. Geneviéve, Paris; University Library (Sorbonne), Paris; Mazarin Library, Paris.

Germany.—Royal Library, Berlin; Ducal Library, Darmstadt; Royal Library, Dresden; University Library, Gottingen; University Library, Heidelberg; University Library, Leipzig; Royal Library, Munich; University Library, Munich; University Library, Strassburg; Royal Library, Stuttgart; City Library, Hamburg.

Greece.—University Libraries, Athens.

Holland.—Royal Library, Hague; University Libraries, Leyden and Utrecht; Municipal University, Amsterdam.

Hungary.—Hungarian National Museum, Buda-Pest.

Italy.—National Library, Florence; Mediceo-Laurenzian Library, Florence; Vatican Library, Rome; Victor Emmanuel Library, Rome; Marcian Library, Venice; Ambrosian Library, Milan; National Library, Naples; University Library, Bologna; National Library, Turin.

Norway.—University Library, Oslo.

Portugal.—National Library, Lisbon.

Russia.—Imperial Library, Leningrad; University Library, Moscow.

Spain.—Royal Library, Escorial; National Library, Madrid.

Sweden.—Royal Library, Stockholm; University Library, Upsala.

Switzerland.—Cantonal and State Library, Zurich.

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Americana—Article Libraries.

Axon—Ancient and modern libraries. In British Almanac Companion, 1876, pp. 103-122.

Blades—On chained libraries. L. Vol. 1, 1889, pp. 411-416.

Boyd—Public libraries and literary culture in ancient Rome. 1915.

Clark—The care of books: an essay on the development of libraries and their fittings, from the earliest times to the end of the eighteenth century. C.U.P., 1901.

Clark—Libraries in the Mediæval and Renaissance Periods. 1894.

Clarke—Repertorium bibliographicum; or some account of the most celebrated British libraries. 2 vols. Clarke.

Cowper—Notices of ancient libraries. Notes and Queries, 1855. Vol. 2, pp. 258, 337, 361, 493, 512.

Dechelette—Manuel d’archéologie prehistorique Celtique et Galto-Romaine. Vol. 1. Paris, 1908.

Edwards—Memoirs of libraries: including a handbook of library economy. 2 vols. Trubner, 1859.

Contents:—Vol. 1, Book 1.—Libraries of the Ancients, p. 3-82. Book 2.—Libraries of the Middle Ages, pp. 83-415. Book 3.—Modern libraries of Great Britain and Ireland, pp. 416-820. Vol. 2, Book 3 (cont.)—Modern libraries of Great Britain and Ireland, pp. 3-162. Book 4.—Libraries of the United States of America, pp. 163-242. Book 5.—Modern libraries of Continental Europe, pp. 243-568.

Encyclopædia Britannica, last two editions.—Articles Libraries.

Fay and Eaton—Instruction in the use of books and libraries. Chap. 12, pp. 163-178.

Graesel—Handbuch der Bibliothekslehre. Weber: Leipzic, 1902.

Greenwood—Free public libraries: their organisation, uses and management. 1886.

Greenwood—Public libraries: a history of the movement and a manual for the organisation and management of rate-supported libraries. 4th edition, 1894.

Horne—Introduction to the study of bibliography. 2 vols. Cadell and Davies, 1814.

Vol. 1.—Memoir of the public libraries of the ancients, pp. 1-25 and part 1, pp. 30-143.

Kirkwood—Proposals made in 1699 to found public libraries in Scotland. 1889.

Koch—Portfolio of Carnegie Libraries.

Libraries, Public—Return showing the names of all places in England, in Scotland, and in Ireland, in which the Public Libraries Acts have been adopted prior to the end of the last financial year, etc. 1912.

Morgan—Monastic libraries. L.A.R. Vol. 6, 1904, pp. 290-297.

New International Encyclopedia—Article Libraries.

Ogle—The free library: its history and present condition. The Library Series, 1897.

Phillips—The monastic libraries of Wales. 1913.

Prideaux—Library economy in the 16th century. L.A.R. Vol. 10, 1909, pp. 152-174.

Rau—Did Omar destroy the library of Alexandria. Nineteenth Century, 1894, pp. 555-571.

Rawlings—Story of books. Useful Knowledge Series. Hodder & Stoughton, 1912, pp. 9-70.

Richardson—The beginnings of libraries. 1914.

Richardson—Biblical libraries: a sketch of library history from B.C. 3400 to A.D. 150. Princeton Univ. Press. Milford, 1915. 5s. 6d.

Rye—The libraries of London: a guide for students. 1908.

Sandys—A history of classical scholarship, from the 6th century B.C. to the end of the Middle Ages. 3 vols., 1906-08.

Savage—Old English Libraries, the making, collection and use of books during the Middle Ages. The Antiquary’s Library. Methuen, 1911.

Savage—The story of libraries and book-collectors. The English Library. Routledge, 1908.

Smith—Babylonian and Assyrian libraries. North British Review, 1870, pp. 305-324.

Spofford—The history of libraries. In his “A book for all readers.” Putnam, 1905, Chap. 15, pp. 287-320.

Teggart—Contribution towards a bibliography of ancient libraries, 1899. Also in L.J. Vol. 24, p. 5.

Universal Cyclopædia.—Article Libraries.

Wheatley—Assyrian Libraries. L.A.T. 1880, pp: 87-90.

Williams and Meredith, editors.—The Librarians’ Guide. Annually from 1923.

Wynkoop—Commissions, state aid and state agencies. (A.L.A. Manual of library economy. Chap. 27).

Book Collectors:—

Elton—Great book collectors. 1893.

Edwards—Free town libraries. Book-collectors, pp. 224 to end.

Fletcher—-English book collectors. 1902.

Savage—The story of libraries and book collectors. 1909, pp. 211-220.

Stephen—One hundred book collectors. L.W. Vol. 10, 1907, pp. 194. Also in Library Economics; pp. 63-80.

SPECIAL LIBRARIES.

Note.—Cannons’ “Bibliography of library economy” [1876-1923]; the “Story of the Nations” and “Countries and Peoples” series, should be consulted for each country.

Great Britain and Ireland.

Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Bodleian Library Tercentenary. L.W. Vol. 5, 1902, pp. 113-119.

Bolton—History of the Bodleian library. L.W. Vol. 12, 1909-10, pp. 241-246.

Clark—A Bodleian guide for visitors. 1906.

Cowley—Recent history of the Bodleian library. L.A.R. Vol. 23, 1921, pp. 316-325.

Machray—Annals of the Bodleian library, 1598-1867. 1868.

British Museum, London.

Cowtan—Memories of the British Museum. 1872.

Edwards—Lives of the founders of the British Museum: with notices of its chief augmentors and other benefactors, 1570-1870. 2 Vols. 1870.

Greenwood—Public libraries, 1894, pp. 493-501.

Rawlings—British Museum Library. 1916.

Shelley—The British Museum: its history and treasures. Pitman, 1911.

Cambridge University Library.

Aldis—Organization and methods of the Cambridge University Library. L.A.R. Vol. 7, 1905, pp. 625-636.

Huck—University Library, Cambridge. L.W. Vol. 13, 1910-11, pp. 257-266.

Protheroe—A memoir of Henry Bradshaw. 1888.

Chetham Library, Manchester.

Nicholson—The Chetham Hospital and Library. 1910.

John Rylands Library, Manchester.

John Rylands Library, Manchester: a brief historical description of the library and its contents, illustrated with thirty-seven views and facsimiles. 1914. John Rylands Library, 6d.

John Rylands Library. L.A.R. Vol. 1, 1899. pp. 564-571; 679-688.

Lyell—John Rylands Library. L.W. Vol. 19, 1916-17, pp. 312-314.

London Library.

Purnell—The London Library. L.A.R. Vol. 23, 1921, pp. 102-112.

London University Library.

Baker—The library of the University of London. L.A.R. Vol. 16, 1904, pp. 28-38.

Chambers—Library of the University College of London. L.A.R. Vol 11, 1909, pp. 350-358; 361-363.

Marsh’s Library, Dublin.

White—An account of Marsh’s library. L.A.R. Vol. 1, 1899, pp. 132-145.

National Library of Ireland.

Vine—National Library of Ireland. L.A.R. Vol 4, 1902, pp. 95-109.

National Library of Wales.

The National Library of Wales. L.W. Vol 14, 1911-12, pp. 79-82.

The National Library of Wales. L.A.R. Vol. 13, 1911, pp. 211-215; 276-284.

Sion College Library, London.

Pearce—Sion College and Library. 1913.

France.

Mortet—The public libraries of France, national, communal and university. L.A.R. Vol 3, (N.S.), 1925, pp. 145-159.

Turnbull—The libraries of France. L.W. Vol 12, 1909-10, pp. 125-127.

Bibliotheque Nationale.

The National Library of France. L. Vol 4, 1892 pp. 277-287.

Italy. Vatican Library.

Sayle—The Vatican Library. L. Vol 6, 1894, pp. 327-343.

Spain. Escorial Library.

Lyell—The Escorial and its library. L.W. Vol. 24, 1921-22, pp. 81-84.

United States.

Bolton—American library history. A.L.A. Manual of library economy. Chap. 1.

Bolton—Proprietary libraries. A.L.A. Manual of library economy. Chap. 5.

Fletcher—Public libraries in America. English Bookman’s Library, 1902.

Flint—Statistics of public libraries in the United States, 1893.

Green—The public library movement in the United States, 1853-1893; from 1876, reminiscences of the writer. Useful Reference Series, No. 8.

Library of Congress.

Bishop—Library of Congress. A.L.A. Manual of library economy. Chap. 2.

Johnston—History of the Library of Congress. 1904. Vol. I. 1800-1864.

Library of Congress and its work. 21 pp. Library of Congress.

Questions.

1. Write a brief account of the origin of the British Museum, and describe three of the notable collections of books or manuscripts which it contains.

2. Where were public libraries usually situated in ancient Rome, and what was the nature of the books kept in them?

3. Give an account of the library of the Abbey of Monte Cassino and of the rule of St. Benedict so far as it relates to the use of books.

4. Describe the various forms and kinds of books preserved in the ancient libraries before the invention of printing.

5. What do you know of the method of chaining books in libraries? State where chained books may still be seen.

6. Give a short account of the lives of two of the following: Andrew Carnegie; Edward Edwards; Henry Bradshaw; James Duff Brown; H. E. Widener.

7. Describe the physical properties of early forms of books, and their method of storage.

8. Name some monastic libraries that existed in England, and briefly describe four of them.

9. Give a brief historical sketch of four of the following libraries:—British Museum; Library of Congress; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; Vatican Library; Escorial Library; Royal Library, Copenhagen; John Rylands Library; National Library of Wales; National Library of Scotland; Trinity College, Dublin.

10. State briefly what you know of the following:—Richard de Bury; T. F. Dibdin; Henry Bradshaw; Matthias Corvinus; Petrarch; Assurbanipal; Sixtus IV.; Dr. Bray; Henry Huth; J. A. Zaluski; Lord Amhurst of Hackney; C. A. Cutter.