Social libraries were institutions founded in the
United States from the late 18th to the early 19th century to fill a need for intellectual and educational resources given the lack of public libraries. Social libraries were mostly either
proprietary libraries, where members bought
stock in the library itself, or
association libraries, where members paid for the use of a library via an annual
subscription fee and often an initial membership fee as well. These were often supplemented by
philanthropic donations motivated by either a genuine interest in
public education or by a
paternalistic desire to keep the lower classes out of trouble and occupied with worthy uses of their
free time. Many social libraries had a strong educational and recreational component, supplying courses and other educational programs,
game rooms, and even
gymnasiums. Social libraries died out in the late 19th century due to the rise of
taxpayer supported
public libraries and a general
trend towards public supported education.
The first social library was the
Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by
Benjamin Franklin in
1731. It still exists today: www.librarycompany.org
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