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1870 Community Libraries

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1870 Principal Libraries (exclusive of those connected to colleges), Report of the Commissioner of Education

Library Name	Library City	Library State	When Founded	Number of Volumes	Annual increase	Notes
San Francisco Mercantile Library	San Francisco	California	1853	25,000	2,000
Hartford Young Men's Institute	Hartford	Connecticut	1838	20,755	1,040
Connecticut Historical Society	Hartford	Connecticut	1839	12,000
Connecticut State Library	Hartford	Connecticut
New Haven Young Men's Institute	New Haven	Connecticut	1826	10,000	250
Wilmington Young Men's Institute	Wilmington	Delaware	1788	7,589	350
Savannah Historical Society	Savannah	Georgia	1839	7,500	200
Chicago Historical Society	Chicago	Illinois	1856	15,000
Chicago Young Men's Association	Chicago	Illinois	1841	10,870	600
Indiana State Library	Indianapolis	Indiana	1831	25,000	250
Catholic Diocesan Library	Vincennes	Indiana	1835	12,000
Keokuk Library Association	Keokuk	Iowa	1863	5,500	600
Dubuque Library	Dubuque	Iowa		8,000
Lexington City Library	Lexington	Kentucky		14,000
Louisiana State Library	Baton Rouge	Louisiana	1838	14,000
Lyceum Library	New Orleans	Louisiana	1844	12,000
Mechanics' Library	New Orleans	Louisiana		15,000
Maine State Library	Augusta	Maine	1839	30,000	750
Skowhegan Library	Skowhegan	Maine	1867	2,315
Maryland State Library	Annapolis	Maryland	1827	27,000	500
Baltimore Peabody Library	Baltimore	Maryland	1862	34,588	4,132
Baltimore Mercantile Library	Baltimore	Maryland	1839	22,975	900
Maryland Historical Society	Baltimore	Maryland	1843	17,000
Maryland Institute Library	Baltimore	Maryland	1847	16,000	1,000
Odd Fellows' Library	Baltimore	Maryland	1840	13,000
Arlington Public Library	Arlington	Massachusetts	1853	2,005	50
Barnstable Sturgis Library	Barnstable	Massachusetts	1867	1,845
Beverly Public Library	Beverly	Massachusetts	1855	4,610	100
Bolton Public Library	Bolton	Massachusetts	1859	1,200	50
American Congregational Library	Boston	Massachusetts	1853	8,000	1,000
Boston Athenaeum	Boston	Massachusetts	1807	100,000	2,438
Boston Library	Boston	Massachusetts	1794	19,000	400
Massachusetts Historical Society	Boston	Massachusetts	1791	18,500	400
Mattapan Literary Association	Boston	Massachusetts	1848	3,000
Mercantile Library	Boston	Massachusetts	1820	19,555	700
Natural History Society	Boston	Massachusetts	1831	12,000	500
New Church Library	Boston	Massachusetts	1864	1,000	150
Massachusetts State Library	Boston	Massachusetts	1826	20,050	1,200
Young Men's Christian Association	Boston	Massachusetts	1857	4,610	310
North Bridgewater	North Bridgewater	Massachusetts	1867	2,667	400
Brighton Holton Library	Brighton	Massachusetts	1864	5,008	530
Brookfield Merrick Public Library	Brookfield	Massachusetts	1867	1,847	175
Brookline Public Library	Brookline	Massachusetts	1857	10,000	1,000
Dana Library	Cambridge	Massachusetts	1837	4,000	300
Charlestown Public Library	Charlestown	Massachusetts	1860	10,155	480
Chelsea Public Library	Chelsea	Massachusetts	1869	2,345
Chicopee Public Library	Chicopee	Massachusetts		2,600	100
Bigelow Library	Clinton	Massachusetts
Concord Public Library	Concord	Massachusetts	1851	5,584	200
Peabody Institute	Danvers	Massachusetts	1866		140
Deerfield Library Association	Deerfield	Massachusetts	1810	2,000	50
Fall River Public Library	Fall River	Massachusetts	1861	5,033	400
Fitchburg Public Library	Fitchburg	Massachusetts	1839	7,500	450
Framingham Public Library	Framingham	Massachusetts	1855		175
Lyceum Library	Gloucester	Massachusetts	1854	3,000
Public Library	Groton	Massachusetts	1855	1,665	50
Public Library	Harvard	Massachusetts		1,200	100
Public Library	Hinsdale	Massachusetts	1868	2,000
Public Library	Lancaster	Massachusetts	1862	4,000	300
Public Library	Leicester	Massachusetts	1861	1,853	105
Franklin Library	Lawrence	Massachusetts		5,200	107
Pacific Mills Library	Lawrence	Massachusetts	1854	5,000	300
Public Library	Leominster	Massachusetts	1864	3,756	275
Young Men's Christian Association	Lowell	Massachusetts	1867		200
Lowell City Library	Lowell	Massachusetts		13,821	600
Public Library	Lunenburg	Massachusetts	1850	1,350	70
Public Library	Lynn	Massachusetts	1862	10,672	1,109
Public Library	Millbury	Massachusetts	1866	1,265	80
Public Library	Natick	Massachusetts	1837	2,540
Public Library	New Bedford	Massachusetts	1852	21,000	1,000
Free Library	Newburyport	Massachusetts	1854	13,000	300
Public Library	Newton	Massachusetts	1849	1,800
Public Library	Northampton	Massachusetts	1860	5,000	200
Peabody Institute	Peabody	Massachusetts	1854	13,300	500
Phillips's Free Public Library	Phillipston	Massachusetts	1862	1,869	250
Pittsfield Mercantile Library	Pittsfield	Massachusetts	1850	3,300	90
Public Library	South Reading	Massachusetts	1869	3,000	150
Roxbury Athenaeum Library	Roxbury	Massachusetts	1857	8,000	250
Salem Athenaeum Library	Salem	Massachusetts	1810	13,455	180
Arms Library	Shelburne Falls	Massachusetts	1834	2,737	300
Public Library	Sherborn	Massachusetts	1860	1,500	58
Public Library	Springfield	Massachusetts	1857	26,488	2,000
Jackson Library	Stockbridge	Massachusetts	1862	4,000
Public Library	Stoneham	Massachusetts	1858	3,000	200
Public Library	Saultborough	Massachusetts	1852	2,511	70
Goodenow Library	South Sudbury	Massachusetts	1863	3,784	200
Public Library	Taunton	Massachusetts	1866	7,995	700
Public Library	Waltham	Massachusetts	1865	5,000	412
Public Library	Watertown	Massachusetts	1868
Public Library	Wayland	Massachusetts	1850	3,856	100
Public Library	Westboro	Massachusetts	1857	1,442	100
Westfield Athenaeum Library	Westfield	Massachusetts	1868	2,200
Public Library	Westford	Massachusetts	1859	1,544	66
Pubic Library	Weston	Massachusetts	1857	3,000	80
Public Library	Winchendon	Massachusetts	1867	1,295
Public Library	Winchester	Massachusetts	1859	2,000	115
Public Library	Woburn	Massachusetts	1856	3,714	112
Public Library	Worcester	Massachusetts	1860	21,000	1,500
American Antiquarian Society	Worcester	Massachusetts	1812	50,000	912
Public Library	Detroit	Michigan	1865	15,500	3,000
Young Men's Society	Detroit	Michigan	1832	10,000	500
Michigan State Library	Lansing	Michigan	1828	25,000	3,509
Minneapolis Athenaeum	Minneapolis	Minnesota	1859	1,968	226
Minnesota Historical Society	St. Paul	Minnesota	1849	3,100	1,000
St. Louis Public Library	St. Louis	Missouri	1865	11,800
St. Louis Mercantile Library Association	St. Louis	Missouri	1846	31,238	1,428
Public City Library	Concord	New Hampshire	1855	4,884	284
City Library	Manchester	New Hampshire	1854	13,100	600
Portsmouth Athenaeum Library	Portsmouth	New Hampshire	1817	10,000	200
Newark Library Association	Newark	New Jersey	1847	15,500	1,000
Public Library	Newton	New Jersey	1868
New York State Library	Albany	New York	1818	76,000	7,200
Young Men's Association	Albany	New York	1833	11,021	549
Brooklyn Mercantile Library	Brooklyn	New York	1857	22,000	1,000
Buffalo Young Men's Association	Buffalo	New York	1835	15,000	1,500
Grosvenor Library	Buffalo	New York		1,000
Apprentices' Library	New York City	New York	1820	42,740	2,126
Astor library	New York City	New York	1848	138,000	2,300
Cooper Union	New York City	New York	1859	5,000
Mercantile Library	New York City	New York	1820	104,513	8,840	Annual increase in 1868
Society Library	New York City	New York	1839	28,000	800
New York Historical Society Library	New York City	New York	1804	25,000	1,000
Rochester Athenaeum Library	Rochester	New York	1830	19,000	700
Troy Young Men's Association	Troy	New York	1834	18,178	300
Public Library	Syracuse	New York	1858	7,370	852
Cincinnati Public Library	Cincinnati	Ohio	1867	21,588	5,382	Annual in 1868
Mercantile Library	Cincinnati	Ohio	1835	30,206	2,315
Theological and Religious Library	Cincinnati	Ohio	1863	3,500	442
Ohio School Library	Cincinnati	Ohio	1850	25,000	200
Cleveland Library Association	Cleveland	Ohio	1846	10,000	600
Public Library	Cleveland	Ohio	1868	2,500
Ohio State Library	Columbus	Ohio	1817	31,000	1,070
Dayton Public School Library	Dayton	Ohio		10,000
Portland Library Association	Portland	Oregon	1864	2,800	330
Pennsylvania State Library	Harrisburg	Pennsylvania	1777	39,000	700
Academy of Natural Sciences	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1812	21,580	400
Philadelphia Athenaeum	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1814	14,500
Mechanics' Library	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1820	20,000
Mercantile Library	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1821	47,000	5,500
Philadelphia Library Company	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1731	80,000	1,500
Loganian Library	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1750
Young Men's Christian Association	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1854	3,000	300
Apprentice's Library	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1821	20,029
American Philosophical Society	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1742	15,000
Pittsburg Mercantile Library	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania	1847	9,100
Newport Public Library	Newport	Rhode Island	1807	4,225
Redwood Library and Athenaeum	Newport	Rhode Island	1730	17,400
Providence Athenaeum	Providence	Rhode Island	1753	29,444
South Carolina State Library	Columbia	South Carolina	1814	12,000
Charleston Library Society	Charleston	South Carolina	1748	20,000
Tennessee State Library	Nashville	Tennessee	1854	12,000
Vermont State Library	Montpelier	Vermont	1830	11,165	512
Virginia State Library	Richmond	Virginia	1823	20,000
Milwaukee Young Men's Association	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	1847	10,566	1,000
Library of Congress	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia	1815	190,000	8,000	Increase between 8,000 and 9,000
Library of House of Representatives	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia		25,000
Patent Office Library	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia	1837	20,598	1,135
Library of State Department	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia	1789	18,000
Library of Treasury Department	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia		2,730
Washington Library	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia	1814	10,000
Library of Agricultural Department	Washington, D.C.	District of Columbia	1862	7,500	1,000
Library Name	Library City	Library State	When Founded	Number of Volumes	Annual increase	Notes

Source: United States Department of Interior, Report of the Commissioner of Education(Government Printing Office, 1870), 541 – 542.

1870 Principal Libraries (exclusive of those connected to colleges), Report of the Commissioner of Education

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