The Libraries of New York are large and well patronized. The various
collections, including those of the institutions of learning, number over
500,000 volumes.
The oldest collection is the "Society Library," which is contained in a
handsome brick edifice in University Place. In 1729, the Rev. John
Wellington, Rector of Newington, in England, generously bequeathed his
library, consisting of 1622 volumes, to the "Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." To this was added a collection of books
presented by the Rev. John Sharp, Chaplain to Lord Bellamont. The whole
collection was sent to New York, and opened for public use in 1731, under
the name of the "Corporation Library." The death of the librarian
occurred soon after, and the library was suffered to fall into disuse.
In 1754, a number of citizens of means and literary taste, founded the
"Society Library," to which, with the consent of the city, they added the
old "Corporation Library." In 1772, the Society received a charter from
King George III. It is one of the wealthiest and most flourishing
institutions in the city. The annual subscription is $10. The
collection of books is very valuable and interesting, and comprises over
50,000 volumes.
The "Astor Library" is the best known outside of the city. The library
building is a massive structure of brick with brown stone trimmings,
situated in Lafayette Place, next door to the residence of William B.
Astor, Esq. It was founded by John Jacob Astor, and enlarged by his son
William. The books are contained in two large and elegant halls,
occupying the entire building above the first floor. The collection
numbers about 150,000 volumes, and was made by the late Dr. Coggeswell,
the first Librarian, whose judgment, taste, and learning were highly
appreciated by the elder Astor. The library is mainly one of reference,
and is very complete in most of the subjects it comprises. In the
departments of science, history, biography, and philology, it is
especially fine. It also contains many rare and valuable illustrated
works, a number of original editions of the earliest books, and some
valuable manuscripts.
[Picture: LAFAYETTE PLACE.]
The collection is free to the public, and is open daily except on Sundays
and holidays, and during the month of August, from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M.
The books cannot be taken from the reading-room, nor are visitors allowed
to use pen and ink in making notes from them. It is said that the
classes Mr. Astor desired most to benefit by this library were the
working people, who are unable to buy books of their own. If this be
true, his wishes have been entirely defeated, as the hall is open only
during the hours when it is impossible for working people to attend. In
the facilities which it affords to those who wish to use it, the Astor is
very much behind the great libraries of Europe, or even the Public
Library of Boston.
The most popular, and the most thoroughly representative library of the
city, is the Mercantile Library, located in Clinton Hall, in Astor Place.
It owns this building, and its property is valued at $500,000. It was
founded in 1820, by William Wood, a native of Boston, and a gentleman
eminent for his efforts in behalf of the spread of education and liberal
ideas. It began as a subscription library with a collection of 700
volumes, and was located in a small room at No. 49 Fulton street. The
collection now numbers 120,000 volumes, and increases at the rate of
13,000 volumes a year. It is the fourth library in size in the Union.
Those which are larger are the Library of Congress, the Public Library of
Boston, and the Astor Library. The library is the property of the clerks
of New York, and though it does not compare with the Astor in the
solidity or value of its contents, is a creditable monument to the good
sense and taste of the young men of our mercantile community. No one but
a clerk can hold an office in it. The term "clerk" is made to include
all men who live on a salary. These members pay an initiation fee of $1,
and an annual subscription of $4. To all other persons the privileges of
the library are offered at an annual subscription of $5. In April, 1870,
the books of the institution showed a roll of 12,867 persons entitled to
the use of the library and reading-room, the latter of which contains 400
newspapers and periodicals.
A large part of the collection consists of works of fiction. It is a
lending library, and its books are sent to readers in Yonkers, Norwalk,
Stamford, Elizabeth, and Jersey City, as well as in New York, in each of
which it has branches. There are also branch offices in Yorkville and in
Cedar street. Every morning a canvass bag, containing the books returned
and applications for others wanted, is sent from each branch to the
library, and is returned in the afternoon full. The directors offer to
establish a branch in any of the suburban towns in which one hundred
subscribers can be obtained in advance. The average daily delivery of
books is 760, of which about three-quarters are taken from the library
proper, the rest from the branches. On Saturday evening the demand for
books is very great.
The system of delivery is as follows:
"Each member on joining the library has a folio assigned him in the
ledger, and its number is written on the ticket which is given him as a
certificate of membership. Let us suppose you have received one of these
tickets, and have made your selection of the book you want. You fill up
a blank application card, with the name of the book desired. You hand
that to one of the attendants. When he has found a book for you, he
hands it, with your application card, to the delivery clerk. This
gentleman occupies a large desk at the central counter, and has before
him two immense drawers, divided into partitions for the reception of the
cards. Each member's name has a place in one or the other of these
drawers, and the number of the folio shows where that place is. The
clerk instantly turns to your name, and finds the card you handed in when
you last borrowed a book. If the date, stamped at the time of delivery,
shows that you have kept it longer than the rules allow, he levies a
small fine, and you must pay it before you can borrow again. All
formalities transacted, the old card is destroyed, the new one put in its
place, and you are sent away in peace.
"The system of checking books, as we have described it, enables the
librarian to ascertain in a moment just what any particular member has
borrowed; but it does not show what has become of any particular book.
Many attempts have been made to devise a system of double accounts, so
that a check could be kept upon the members and the books at the same
time, but without success. A partial record book, however, is now kept.
Whenever a standard book is borrowed, the delivery clerk marks upon a
little yellow ticket simply the folio number of the borrower. Every day
the yellow tickets are examined, and if it appear, say, that folio 10,029
has had a book more than three weeks, the clerk turns to the drawer and
finds out who folio 10,029 is, and what book is charged against him, and
sends him a notice that his time is up. It is found impracticable to
apply this system to novels, which form the greater part of the
circulation of the library; but it is useful as far as it goes, and
prevents the loss of many valuable books.
[Picture: CLINTON HALL.]
"Of late years a postal order scheme has been perfected, and for
convenience and simplicity it could hardly be improved. Its design is to
enable members to draw books without visiting the library. Blank forms
are obtained from the Post-office Department, about the size and shape of
a newspaper wrapper, bearing on one side a two-cent postage stamp, and
the printed address, 'Mercantile Library, Astor Place, City,' and on the
other a blank application, with a five-cent 'Mercantile Library delivery
stamp,' and some printed directions. You fill up the application in the
usual way, fold the wrapper like a note (it is already gummed), and drop
it in the nearest Post-office box. In a few hours at furthest a
messenger brings to your house the book you have asked for, and takes
away the volume you want to return. The system is fast increasing in
popularity. A horse and wagon are constantly employed in the collection
and delivery, and the number of volumes sent out in this way is about
12,000 annually. The delivery blanks are sold at the rate of seven cents
each--two cents representing the postage and five the cost of the
delivery."
The other collections are the Library of the New York Historical Society,
embracing over 30,000 volumes, besides many interesting manuscripts,
papers, coins and antiquities; the Apprentices' Library, 18,000 volumes;
the Library of the American Institute, 10,000 volumes; the City Library,
5000 volumes; the Law Institute Library, about 5000 volumes; the Library
of the Young Men's Christian Association, about 15,000 volumes; the
Library of the Protestant Episcopal General Theological Seminary, 18,000
volumes; the Library of the Union Theological Seminary, 26,000 volumes;
the Library of the Cooper Institute; and the libraries of the various
institutions of learning.
Mr. James Lenox, a wealthy and prominent citizen, is now erecting on the
Fifth avenue, near Seventieth street, and immediately opposite the
Central Park, a massive building of granite, which is to be one of the
most imposing structures in the City. In this, at its completion, he
intends placing his magnificent collection of books and works of art,
which constitute the most superb private collection in America. The
whole will be opened to the public under certain restrictions.