Library+Company+of+Philadelphia

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** Introduction **
 The **Library Company of Philadelphia** is a research library that has been around since 1731. It is currently located at 1314 Locust Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is credited as being the first subscription library in the United States. Often, it is said that the Library Company of Philadelphia was the earliest predecessor to the free public libraries that are now ubiquitous throughout the country.

The Library Company of Philadelphia is the only major Colonial library that is still intact. Much of the library’s longevity and success can be attributed to three main factors. Its business model, its wide range of resources in its early days, and the ways in which it has adapted for the future are a few reasons for its triumph.

** Early History **


  The Library Company has undergone many stages before becoming the library that is known today. It all began in 1727 with a club named Junto. This club was formed as a discussion group by Benjamin Franklin. Franklin gathered a group of 11 of his comrades to discuss important topics such as morals, politics, and natural philosophy. As the group grew, it desired to expand into something that would enhance their discussions and studies.

Originally, Franklin proposed the idea that all members of Junto should bring their own collection of books to the room that held their meetings. He wanted all of them to have access to each other’s collections. This was the primitive staring point that led to the library’s formation.

The library officially began as a subscription service with 50 members. Each member agreed to pay 10 shillings annually to maintain membership in the library; there was an initial down payment of 40 shillings per person. As the group discussed different subjects and materials, they desired to conduct research on the topics. During that time, there were not many quality book stores south of Boston, Massachusetts. These two reasons were the main driving forces for the library’s creation.

July 1, 1731 was the official opening of the library. This was the day that the Articles of Agreement were finalized. The library was originally located in the private residence of one of its members. The original order of books was placed in March of 1732 and arrived in autumn of the same year. The books were shipped from London, England. James Logan had been assigned the task of creating the list of books that were requested. Only books that would satisfy a prospective reader were initially chosen. From its early founding, it was clear the Franklin was trying to create an experience different from libraries that were already established.

** Early Libraries **


 Before the Library Company of Philadelphia was formed, libraries operated very differently from how they function today. The Bibliotheque National de France and Harvard University Library are two libraries that were around before the formation of the Library Company of Philadelphia.

The Bibliotheque National de France is the current version of what was once Charles V’s personal library at The Louvre. It originally housed his private collection, and it expanded under Louis XIV until it was opened to the public in 1692.

The Harvard University Library was the first large-scale library in the United States. Most of its growth relied on donations from others. John Harvard was the original benefactor and provided the original 400 books.

The Library Company of Philadelphia was one of the first libraries the veered away from these traditional procedures.

** Library’s Principles **


 From its early founding, Benjamin Franklin wanted it to be owned as a collective unit, no one person would control the library or its actions. Like the modern day stock system, each person’s contribution entitled them to partial ownership of the library. As time went on, the library expanded on its number of members. Anyone that was willing to pay the subscription fees was permitted access to the library’s resources. This way of operating was much different that the previous libraries that only had a select number of owners.

The growth of the library was also planned in its initial steps. The majority of the funds collected from the subscriptions were used to expand the collection of books for the library. Franklin wanted each book in the collection to be of immediate use to one of its members. This meant that the books that were being ordered, where ones that its members wanted to read. Most libraries prior to the Library Company of Philadelphia relied heavily on donated books. Consequently, the collections were not always relevant to what the people wanted.

The Library Company of Philadelphia also had a varied range of genres. The breakdown was different than any of the other libraries in the same time period. Theological works only made up about 10% of the books in the collection. Many future libraries, however, also limited the amount of religious works. Historical books accounted for about one third of the total books. Geographical books and books about voyages or travel also fell into the historical book category. Scientific works and literature novels, mainly plays and poems, each were responsible for 20% of the total. The varied nature of the books differentiated the Library Company of Philadelphia from others, because it allowed members from all types of backgrounds to find works they wanted to read.  <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Library’s Other Resources **
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Books were not the only resource that the library provided. While the library’s funds were used to purchase books, donors expanded the collection to include many interesting artifacts. Fossils, coins, fauna pickled in spirits, unusual geological specimens, and tanned skins are some of the objects that were gifted to the Library Company of Philadelphia. These added objects allowed the library to take part in experiments as well. It was becoming a well-rounded source of information for its time.

The first instrument that was sent to the library was an air pump by John Penn in 1739. The size of the instrument is what initiated the group’s search for a new location to hold all of its newly acquired goods and expanding collection. The Library Company of Philadelphia moved its operations to the Pennsylvania State House, the building that is now referred to as Independence Hall, in 1740. For the next 34 years, the library remained at this location.

Peter Collinson provided another monumental instrument to the library. He sent a hollow glass tube that could be sued for electrical experiments. This is when Franklin’s first experiments with electricity began. By 1747, a complete electrical apparatus was housed and operated in the Pennsylvania State House. The library was clearly transforming into something more than just a repertoire of books.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Changes for Improvement **
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Those first 15 year for the library were very crucial in setting the foundation for its future. As the group realized early on, larger venues would be required as more resources were gained. Carpenter’s Hall was the next location of the library’s operations. It rented two rooms in the building. In 1774, the year after the Library Company of Philadelphia moved into the hall, the Continental Congress took residence in Carpenter’s Hall as well. The Library Company took this opportunity and allowed all delegate access to the library. In effect, it became the unofficial library for Congress before it formed its own library in 1800. The next destination was to Fifth Street, where it moved into its own building. Finally, a building on the corner of Juniper St. and Locust St. was chosen as the final location.

As the library became more popular, some new policies were added or modified. Whenever new books were acquired through a donation or merger with another library, all duplicate copies of the books were sold. This allowed the library to focus on quality of references instead of quantity. The increase in the library’s popularity brought forth the use of late fees for overdue books. Non-members were also permitted to take out books for a small fee. Anyone, however, was allowed to read in the library itself for free. These key decisions allowed the library to take advantage of its growth while still remaining loyal to its base principle of providing knowledge to those that sought it. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In more modern times, the library has gone from subscription-based to being completely public and free. It now relies on donations to cover its operating costs. Donations of over $100 are recorded in the library’s Annual Report. Another change is that all rare materials of high value are kept safe out of the reach of the public. These materials may still be loaned to other institutions for educational purposes. The Library Company of Philadelphia is also taking part in the digital age. Photocopying service, computer use, and free internet access are some of the amenities offered.

The library’s motto now focuses on it collecting, preserving, and making available books with a focus on American history leading to the end of the 19th century. It holds regular events such as guest speakers and temporary exhibitions.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Closing Remarks **
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Today, the Library Company of Philadelphia holds about 500,000 books and 70,000 other historical items. Of the books in its current possession, about 2,100 once belonged to Benjamin Franklin. The library’s early success was a direct result of its founders’ contributions. The desire to purchase a balanced array of books that would benefit others lead to a prosperous future. Franklin, along with the other members, had a vision to create something ahead of its time. They pushed the boundaries for the sake of knowledge and the common good of others.

The fact that the Library Company of Philadelphia is still functioning today is very impressive for a library that tried to do things differently than what others had done before. What is even more remarkable, however, is that it led the way for future public libraries to establish themselves using many of the same principles. Sites like wikispaces.com are modern versions of what Franklin envisioned; users coming together to share knowledge for each other’s sake. The increased ease with which information can now be shared makes the Library Company of Philadelphia, and all other public libraries after it, one the most influential technological advancements of the past 300 years. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sources
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Primary · Benjamin Franklin, __The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin__ (New York, NY: Harper & Brothers, 1856). · The Library Company of Philadelphia, __Catalogue of the Books Belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia__ (Philadelphia, PA: C. Sherman & Co. Printers, 1835).

Secondary · Edwin Wolf, __At the Instance of Benjamin Franklin: A Brief History of the Library Company of Philadelphia__ (Philadelphia, PA: The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1995). · “The Library Company of Philadelphia.” Philadelphia and the Countryside. June 10, 2009 < http://www.gophila.com/C/Ben_Franklin_300_Philadelphia/492/Franklins_Philadelphia/214/U/The_Library_Company_of_Philadelphia/190.html>. · Michael H. Harris, __History of Libraries in the Western World__ (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1995). · “Overview.” The Library Company of Philadelphia. June 10, 2009 < [] >. · ** W.J. Murison, The Public Library : Its Origins, Purpose and Significance (London, England: Bingley, 1988). **

Reference · Justus Lipsius, __A Brief Outline of the History of Libraries__ (Chicago, IL: A.C. McClurg & Co., 1907).