The following is a list of libraries located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, active in the 19th century. Included are public libraries, academic libraries, medical libraries, church libraries, government libraries, circulating libraries, and subscription libraries.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/1806_Phillips_library_Philadelphia_USGazette_Oct7.png/220px-1806_Phillips_library_Philadelphia_USGazette_Oct7.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/1811_Shallus_Philadelphia_Poulsons_American_Daily_Advertiser_20April.png/220px-1811_Shallus_Philadelphia_Poulsons_American_Daily_Advertiser_20April.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/ApprenticesLibrary_Philadelphia.png/220px-ApprenticesLibrary_Philadelphia.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Mercantile_Library%2C_by_Bartlett_%26_French.png/220px-Mercantile_Library%2C_by_Bartlett_%26_French.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/1852_Central_High_School_Philadelphia.png/220px-1852_Central_High_School_Philadelphia.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/1859_PhiladelphiaLibrary.png/220px-1859_PhiladelphiaLibrary.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Old_Franklin_Library%2C_Philadelphia%2C_from_Robert_N._Dennis_collection_of_stereoscopic_views.png/220px-Old_Franklin_Library%2C_Philadelphia%2C_from_Robert_N._Dennis_collection_of_stereoscopic_views.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/1893_YMCA_Philadelphia_ReadingRoom.png/220px-1893_YMCA_Philadelphia_ReadingRoom.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/1894_WomensChristianAssociation_Philadelphia.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/1894_AmericanPhilosophicalSociety_Philadelphia.png/220px-1894_AmericanPhilosophicalSociety_Philadelphia.png)
- A
- Academy of Natural Sciences[2][3]
- Agnes Irwin's School[3]
- Almshouse library[4]
- American Baptist Historical Society[3]
- American Baptist Publication Society[2][3]
- American Catholic Historical Society[5]
- American Entomological Society[3]
- American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia Chapter[5]
- American Philosophical Society (est. 1743).[2][3]
- American Sunday-School Union[2][3]
- Apprentices' Library Company[6]
- Athenaeum of Philadelphia[2][3][7]
- B
- Baptist Historical Society[8]
- George E. Blake's circulating library[9]
- Board of Missions of Presbyterian Church[2]
- Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies[3]
- Broad Street Academy Library[3]
- Brotherhead's Circulating Library[9]
- Burd Orphan Asylum[3]
- Byberry Library[9]
- C
- Carpenters' Company[2][3]
- Catholic Philopatrian Society[3]
- Central High School[2][3]
- Chalk's Circulating Library, North Third St.[9]
- Challen's Circulating Library[10]
- Chase's Circulating Library[11]
- Chestnut Hill Free Library[5]
- Chestnut St. Female Seminary[2]
- Christ Church Hospital[3]
- Christ Church Library[2]
- Christian Hall Library Company[3]
- Church of the Holy Apostle, Sunday School Library[3]
- College Avenue Anat. School[2]
- College of Physicians of Philadelphia[3]
- College of St. Thomas of Villa Nova[2]
- Colored Reading Society[12]
- Controllers of Public Schools Library[2]
- Edward Corfield's circulating library[13]
- D
- E
- Eastburn Academy Library[3]
- Eastern State Penitentiary[2][3]
- Eclectic Medical College[2]
- Edwin Forrest Home[3]
- Engineers Club[3]
- Episcopal Library and Reading Room[2]
- F
- Female Medical College[2]
- Florence Lit. Inst. and Library[2]
- Franklin Institute[2][3]
- Franklin Library Association[7]
- Free Circulating Library for the Blind[3]
- Free Library of Philadelphia (est.1891, opened 1894). Main branch located in City Hall (1894), then in Concert Hall (1895–1910)[15]
- Free Reading-Room Association of Spring Garden[2]
- Friends' Asylum for the Insane[2]
- Friends' Library[3]
- Friends' Observatory[2]
- G
- George Institute[3]
- German Society of Pennsylvania[2][3][17]
- Germantown Library[5]
- Girard College[2][3]
- Paul Girard's French Circulating Library[18]
- Girl's Normal School Library[3]
- Grand Army Republic, Post No.2[3]
- Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania F.A.A.M.[3]
- D. Guillemet's French Circulating Library[19]
- H
- Hahnemann Medical College[3][20]
- Harwood's Circulating Library[9]
- Hebrew Literature Society[5]
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania[2][3]
- Home Teaching and Free Circulating Library for the Blind[5]
- Homoeopathic Medical College[2]
- House of Refuge[2]
- Hirst Free Law Library[8][21][22]
- I
- Institute for Colored Youth[2]
- Institution for the Blind[2][3]
- Institution for Deaf and Dumb[2]
- Irish Library of the Cathedral[3]
- J
- K
- L
- La Salle College[3]
- Law Association of Philadelphia[2][3]
- Leopold's Circulating Library[10]
- Library and Reading Room Association of 23rd Ward (est.1857)[23]
- Library Association of Friends[2][3]
- Library Company of Colored Persons[12]
- Library Company of Philadelphia (est. 1731), also called the Philadelphia Library[2][3][7]
- Library of Foreign Classical Literature and Science[23]
- Library of the Four Monthly Meetings of Friends[2]
- Lovett Memorial Free Library[5]
- M
- Mantua Academy[2]
- Mariners' Church Library for Seamen[3]
- Sarah McDonald's circulating library, S. 11th St.[25]
- Mechanics' Institute of Southwark[2][3]
- Medical Institute of Philadelphia[2]
- Medico-Chirurgical College[2]
- Memorial Free Library (Mount Airy)[3]
- Mercantile Library Company[3][7]
- Ann Miller's circulating library[25]
- Moyamensing Literary Institute (est.1852)[2][3]
- Mutual Library Co.[26]
- N
- New Church Book Association[3]
- North Broad Street Select School[3]
- Northern Dispensary of Philadelphia[3]
- Northern Home[3]
- Northern Liberties Franklin Library[2]
- Northern Liberties Library and Reading Room Co. (est.1830)[23]
- Numismatic and Antiquarian Society[3]
- O
- Odd Fellows' Library[3]
- P
- Page Library[2]
- Peirce College of Business
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts[2]
- Pennsylvania College, Medical Dept.[2]
- Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery[2]
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society[2][3]
- Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library[2][3]
- Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane[2][3]
- Pennsylvania Institution for Deaf and Dumb[3]
- Pennsylvania Seamen's Friend Society[2]
- Philadelphia Board of Trade[3]
- Philadelphia City Institute[2][3]
- The Philadelphia Club Library[3]
- Philadelphia College of Dental Surgery[2]
- Philadelphia College of Medicine[2]
- Philadelphia College of Pharmacy[2][3]
- Philadelphia County Prison[3]
- Philadelphia Divinity School[3]
- Philadelphia Hospital Library[3]
- Philadelphia Library Association of Colored Brethren[2]
- Philadelphia Maritime Exchange[3]
- Philadelphia Museum library[4]
- Philadelphia Public Library (est.1892), administered by the city Board of Education. Also called City Library[14]
- Philadelphia School of Anatomy[2]
- Philadelphia Seminary[3]
- Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture[2]
- Philadelphia Turngemeinde[3]
- Philips' Circulating Library, Third St.[27]
- John Phillips' circulating library, South Fourth St.
- Polytechnic College[2]
- Mrs. S. Potts' circulating library, Walnut St.[25]
- Presbyterian Board of Publication[2][3]
- Presbyterian Historical Society[2][3]
- Presbyterian Home for Widows and Single Women[3]
- Public Library for People of Color[2]
- R
- Roxborough Lyceum[3]
- S
- St. Joseph's College[2]
- St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute[3]
- Seamen's and Landsmen's Aid Society[5]
- Shallus's Circulating Library[28]
- Social Art Club[3]
- Society of Students' library[4]
- Southwark Library Company (est.1822)[2][3][7]
- Spring Garden Institute (est.1835)[2][3][23]
- T
- Teachers' Institute of Philadelphia[3]
- Theological Seminary (Mount Airy)[3]
- Theological Seminary Reformed Presbyterian Church[2]
- Theological Seminary St. Charles of Boromeo[2]
- Three Monthly Meetings of Friends[29]
- U
- Union Circulating Library[25]
- Union League Library[3]
- United States Mint[2]
- United States Naval Home[3]
- United States Navy Yard[2]
- Universal Peace Union[3]
- University of Pennsylvania[2][3]
- Furness Library
- Law Department[2]
- Medical Department[2]
- W
- Wagner Free Institute of Science[2][3]
- Walnut St. Female Seminary[2]
- West Philadelphia Institute[2][3]
- Western Library Association of Philadelphia (est.1854)[23]
- Wills Hospital[2]
- Wilson's Circulating Library, South 11th St.[26]
- Wistar Medical College[2]
- Women's Christian Association[29][30]
- Women's Hospital[29]
- Y
- YMCA Philadelphia[2]
- Young Men's Institute[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ C.E. Peterson (1951). "The Library Hall: Home of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 1790-1880". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 95: 266–285. ISBN 9781422381724.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz William Jones Rhees (1859), Manual of Public Libraries, Institutions, and Societies, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., OCLC 3991453, OL 6937678M
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd Weston Flint (1893), "(Philadelphia)", Statistics of Public Libraries in the United States and Canada, Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, hdl:2027/mdp.39015034099997
- ^ a b c "Politics and Statistics: Pennsylvania", New England Magazine, September 1833, hdl:2027/pst.000020215293
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n William E. Meehan (1896), Rand McNally and Company's Handy Guide to Philadelphia and Environs, NY: Rand McNally and Company
- ^ J.F. Lewis (1924), History of the Apprentices' Library of Philadelphia 1820-1920, the Oldest Free Circulating Library in America, Philadelphia, OCLC 626688
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c d e McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory, Philadelphia: A. McElroy & Co., 1837, OCLC 81524238, OL 24395626M
- ^ a b Taylor, ed. (1893), City of Philadelphia as it Appears in the Year 1893, Philadelphia: Trade League of Philadelphia; Geo. S. Harris & Sons, hdl:2027/nyp.33433081788949
- ^ a b c d e Davies Project. "American Libraries before 1876". Princeton University. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
- ^ a b Philadelphia Inquirer, August 1, 1865
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer, February 26, 1864
- ^ a b Elizabeth McHenry (2007). "'An Association of Kindred Spirits': Black Readers and their Reading Rooms". Institutions of Reading: the Social Life of Libraries in the United States. Boston: University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 9781558495906.
- ^ McElroy's Philadelphia Directory. 1843.
- ^ a b c d e Civic Club Digest of the Educational & Charitable Institutions & Societies in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 1895
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Free Library of Philadelphia", The Citizen, vol. 1, no. 9, Philadelphia: American Society for the Extension of University Teaching, November 1895, hdl:2027/nyp.33433075994610
- ^ "History". Walnut Street West. Free Library of Philadelphia. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
- ^ "Horner Memorial Library". German Society of Pennsylvania. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer, July 11, 1867
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1867
- ^ "Drexel University College of Medicine History". Retrieved December 20, 2010.
- ^ "TU Law History". Temple Univ. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
- ^ Hirst is sometimes spelled "Hurst"
- ^ a b c d e f James G. Barnwell (April 1900), "Proprietary Libraries in Philadelphia", Library Journal, 25, hdl:2027/mdp.39015036908088
- ^ Ridgway is sometimes spelled "Ridgeway"
- ^ a b c d McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory, Philadelphia: A. McElroy & Co., 1839
- ^ a b Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book. Philadelphia: C.E. Howe Co. 1890–1891.
- ^ James Mease (1811). Picture of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: B. & T. Kite.
- ^ Karen Nipps (Spring 1991). "Ann Shallus's Circulating Library". Journal of Library History. 26 (4): 608–610. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
- ^ a b c "Public Libraries in the United States", Library Journal, 12, January 1887, hdl:2027/mdp.39015036908666
- ^ The City of Philadelphia as it Appears in the Year 1894. G.S. Harris & Sons.
Further reading
edit- "Libraries". Smith's Hand-book and Guide in Philadelphia. 1869. hdl:2027/njp.32101015568288.
- J. Thomas Scharf; Thompson Westcott (1884). "Libraries and Historical and Scientific Societies". History of Philadelphia, 1609–1884. Vol. 2. L.H. Everts. hdl:2027/mdp.39015020849512.
- "A Free Library Problem". Library Journal. 19. May 1894. hdl:2027/mdp.39015036908146. (reprinted from the Philadelphia Record)
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 367–373, see page 369.
Museums, Learned Societies and Libraries....In 1727 Franklin, then in his twenty-second year, formed most of his "ingenious acquaintance into a club," which he called the Junto, "for mutual improvement," and out of the Junto grew in 1731 the library of the Library Company of Philadelphia....