Mercantile Library Association of San Francisco facts for kids
The San Francisco Mercantile Library Association was an important group in San Francisco, California that started a special kind of library in 1852. This group wanted to help people learn and talk about books and ideas. They hoped to make San Francisco famous not just for business, but also for its love of reading and science.
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What Was the Mercantile Library?
The San Francisco Mercantile Library Association was a civic group, which means it was a group of citizens working together for the good of their community. They created a subscription library. This was a library where people paid a small fee to become members and borrow books. It was a bit like a club for readers!
Why Was It Started?
The founders, J.B. Crockett, F.A. Woodworth, and F.C. Ewer, had a big dream. They wanted to "stimulate a generous rivalry in mental culture." This means they wanted to encourage people to compete in a friendly way to see who could learn the most and be the most knowledgeable. They believed that reading and discussing books would make this happen. Their goal was to make San Francisco "as distinguished for literature and science as it already is for its commerce and wealth."
How the Library Grew
The library started small but quickly became very popular.
- By 1854, just two years after it opened, the library had about 3,000 books.
- Seven years later, in 1861, the collection had grown to 14,000 books!
- By 1874, it had an amazing 36,000 books.
The library offered many different types of books. You could find exciting travel stories, thoughtful essays, plays, and books about the history of California and America. It also had works by famous writers like Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Sainte-Beuve.
The End of an Era
In 1906, the San Francisco Mercantile Library Association joined forces with another important group called the San Francisco Mechanics' Institute. They combined their collections and resources.
The Great Earthquake of 1906
Sadly, later in 1906, a terrible event happened: the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. This huge earthquake caused a lot of damage, and the combined library collections were almost completely destroyed. It was a big loss for the city and for all the readers.
A New Beginning
Even after such a disaster, the spirit of learning and reading in San Francisco remained strong. The Mechanics' Institute worked hard to rebuild. In 1910, they successfully built a brand new Mechanics'-Mercantile Library building, showing their dedication to knowledge and community.
