Membership
Libraries Group
Before tax-supported public libraries existed, libraries were organized
either privately as stock companies (in which the purchase of a share made one
an owner) or as an association of dues-paying members.
When sufficient funds had been raised, these libraries rented or erected
buildings, purchased books, and paid their librarians with the proceeds from
dues, annual share assessments, or rental fees.
Once common across the United States, most membership libraries have
either disappeared or been absorbed into public libraries.
A few membership libraries continue to thrive, mostly in older cities
where they many preserve architecturally significant buildings and hold special
collections of rare books, prints, maps, photographs, and manuscripts of
interest to scholars. The following is a list of the membership libraries of the
United States:
The
Athenĉum Music & Arts Library
1008
Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037-4418
Founded 1899
The
Athenĉum of Philadelphia
East
Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3794
Founded
1814
Website:
www.PhilaAthenaeum.org
The
Boston Athenĉum
10
½ Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-3777
Founded
1807
Website:
www.bostonathenaeum.org
The
Charleston Library Society
164
King Street
Charleston,
SC 29401-2269
Founded
1748
Email:
chaslibsociety@aol.com
The
General Society Library
20
West 44th Street
New
York, New York 10036-6694
Founded
1820
Website:
www.generalsociety.org
The
Institute Library
847
Chapel Street
New
Haven, CT 06510-3015
The
Lanier Library
72
Chestnut Street
Tryon,
NC 28782-3399
Founded
1890
Email:
lanierlib@alltel.net
The
Maine Charitable Mechanic Association Library
519
Congress Street
Portland,
ME 04101-3426
The
Mechanics Institute Library
57
Post Street
San
Francisco, CA 94104-5003
Founded
1854
Web
site: www.milibrary.org
The
Mercantile Library
414
Walnut Street
Cincinnati,
OH 45202-3910
Founded
1835
Website:
www.mercantilelibrary.com
The
Mercantile Library
17
East 47th Street
New
York, New York 10017-1980
Founded
1820
Website:
www.mercantilelibrary.org
The
Minneapolis Athenĉum
300
Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis,
MN 55401-1992
Website: www.minneapolis.athenaeum.org
The
Nantucket Athenĉum
P.
O. Box 808
Nantucket,
MA 02554
Email:
athenaeum@nantucket.net
The
New York Society Library
53
East 79th Street
New
York, New York 10021-0290
Founded
1754
Website:
www.nysoclib.org
The
Portsmouth Athenĉum
P.
O. Box 848
Portsmouth,
NH 03801-4011
Founded
1816
Email:
athenaeum@juno.com
The
Providence Athenĉum
251
Benefit Street
Providence,
RI 02903-2799
Founded
1836
Website:
www.providenceathenaeum.org
The
Redwood Library and Athenĉum
50
Bellevue Avenue
Newport,
RI 02840-3292
Founded
1747
Website:
www.redwoodlibrary.org
St.
Johnsbury Athenĉum
1171
Main Street
St.
Johnsbury, VT 05819
Founded
1871
Website:
www.stjathenaeum.org
The
St. Louis Mercantile Library
8001
Natural Bridge Road
St.
Louis, MO 63121-4499
Website: www.umsl.edu/services/library
The
Salem Athenĉum
337
Essex Street
Salem,
MA 01970-3262
Founded
1810
Email:
sal-athm@star.net
Timrod
Literary and Library Association
217
Central Avenue
Summerville,
SC 29483
Copyright 2008 The Athenĉum of Philadelphia
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