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:
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
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:
It does look like quiet an exclusive library. So far I think your picture shows the oldest library.
How appropriate that the opening of the first lending library in the US coincides so closely with our prompt!
Talk about good timing! I'm so glad the Junto went the way of public libraries over private.
I wonder how long it was before ladies and children could use it.
Historic picture for sure.
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?
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.
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"
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!
I was surprised that it was a long time before the Revolution.
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.
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.
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!
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
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