Boston Library Society facts for kids
The Boston Library Society was a special kind of library in Boston, New England, that started in 1792. It was a "subscription library," which means people paid a fee to become members and borrow books. Famous people from the American Revolutionary War, like Paul Revere and William Tudor, were early members. The society existed for many years until 1939. Then, it joined with a bigger historical library called the Boston Athenæum.
A Look Back: The Boston Library Society
Starting Up: 1792 to 1858
The Boston Library was a place where "ladies and gentlemen" could borrow books for "polite general reading." It was located in a new building called the Tontine Crescent. This building was designed by Charles Bulfinch, who was also one of the library's leaders.
Many important people joined the library early on. Besides Paul Revere and William Tudor, members included Hannah Barrell, James Bowdoin III, and Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton. The library kept good records of all its books and who borrowed them. For example, in 1794, Paul Revere borrowed books by famous writers like William Shakespeare and James Cook.
Many people helped run the library over the years. Nathan Webb was the secretary for a long time, from 1794 to 1826. There were also several treasurers and librarians, including Caleb Bingham and George S. Bulfinch. Many trustees, like Charles Bulfinch, Reverend John Eliot, and Lemuel Shaw, also supported the library. In 1801, a member named Abigail Howard gave the library about 500 books!
By 1848, the library had grown quite a bit. It owned about 11,000 books, most of which they had bought.
Some of the books you could find in the library in 1824 included:
- Jane Austen's Emma
- Joanna Baillie's plays
- Fontenelle's Plurality of Worlds
- Mary Hays' Female Biography
- Stephen Harriman Long's Expedition to the Rocky Mountains
- Catharine Macaulay's Letters on Education
- Walter Scott's Peveril of the Peak
- Robert Southey's Metrical Tales
- Amos Stoddard's Sketches of Louisiana
New Homes: 1858 to 1939
In 1858, the Tontine Crescent building was torn down. So, the Boston Library moved to a new place on Essex Street. It moved again in 1870 to Boylston Place. Then, in 1904, it moved one more time to Newbury Street in the Back Bay area of the city. Finally, in 1939, the Boston Library Society joined forces with the Boston Athenæum, becoming part of that larger library.
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