Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.

Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.
....carpe diem. The Daylily. "Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun." Khalil Gibran. She gives her all for just one day then bows her head to God and fades away to nourish the next generation. God I pray I may give my all each day to honor you and bow my head at the end to nourish the next generation. Peggy Jones. NOTE............ Please folks do not copy any of my art or photos on my blog without my permission. Thank you for your good manners.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Sepia Saturday Libraries




Our Sepia Saturday Archive Picture Prompt this week comes from the collection of the New York Public Library and features a group of children avidly reading their books following a talk about books by the staff of the Library. The picture dates back to the 1920s (note : there is not a Kindle in sight) and offers a variety of potential directions for Sepia Posters to take (books, reading, kids, libraries, ridiculous check jackets ... or whatever). The only instruction, as usual, is to post your post on or around Saturday 17th November 2012 and include a link on the list below.



My entry today comes from a picture used by a TV station, KCRA in Sacramento CA. on November 14.
The subject of the discussion was:
On this day in..

On this day, November 14, in 1731, the first lending library in the country was opened and the first librarian hired.
This was in Philidelphia.
 
It is still open today  


The Library Company was the brainchild of a group of local merchants (Ben Franklin was one- the group called themselves “The Junto”) – These guys met to have discussions about philosophy, politics, civic issues … one of the things that came up often was the general need for more comprehensive libraries. Naturally having a library of your own at that time was the mark of a successful person – so there were private libraries – and books were not always easy to come by. So at first, these gentlemen wanted to expand their OWN libraries – but eventually, it expanded into the idea of having a subscription library for the entire community.

This is a painting, one of many of Benjamin Franklin involved in various projects by Charles E Mills.
I could not find info on Charles E Mills on the internet.

Go here for more SS





13 comments:

Kristin said...

It does look like quiet an exclusive library. So far I think your picture shows the oldest library.

Anonymous said...

How appropriate that the opening of the first lending library in the US coincides so closely with our prompt!

Wendy said...

Talk about good timing! I'm so glad the Junto went the way of public libraries over private.

Bob Scotney said...

I wonder how long it was before ladies and children could use it.
Historic picture for sure.

Kat Mortensen said...

I love the painting! Of course I am most curious as to whom the gentleman is who has his back to the viewer. Any ideas?

Unknown said...

Well Kat I would imagine he is just a member looking for a book. I have to believe this was a drawing as all of the photos I found were b/w like this. There is a site where you can buy any of these sketches plain or framed.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Peggy, it is interesting to see that also a lady is involved in the inauguration of the library; perhaps it is the librarian? Cicero said:" A room without books is like a body without a soul"

Jana Iverson Last said...

Wouldn't it be interesting to know what these men who established public libraries thought of today's technology where we have a "library" at our fingertips in the form of e-readers? Amazing!

Postcardy said...

I was surprised that it was a long time before the Revolution.

Peter said...

The first public library in the Netherlands was established in Utrecht in 1892. But long before that there were the university libraries. The oldest is probably the one in Leiden which was set up in 1575. BTW Leiden was also the city where the Pilgrim Fathers stayed from 1608-1620.
In any case, having a public library already in 1731 must have been quite progressive in those days.

Alan Burnett said...

The fascinating thing about the library you describe is that similar movements were starting throughout the world at about the same time. Here in Yorkshire we had our Literary and Philosophical Societies and our Mechanics Institutes. Great post.

Liz Stratton said...

The start of a great movement. It is hard to imagine life before libraries or even a time when books were expensive and hard to come by!

Bruno Laliberté said...

Somewhat humble beginnings for such great men involved in the project and it is admirable to see that it endures to this day. Not something we often see, especially a thing like this.
:)~
HUGZ