Three Centuries of a City Library / an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Norwich Public Library Established in 1608 and the present Public Library opened in 1857

Transcribed from the 1917 Norwich Public Library Committee edition by David Price, ccx074@pglaf.org
AN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE NORWICH PUBLIC LIBRARY ESTABLISHED IN 1608 AND THE PRESENT PUBLIC LIBRARY OPENED IN 1857
by GEO. A. STEPHEN
City Librarian, Norwich Fellow of the Library Association Silver Medallist of the Royal Society of Arts Author of “Guide to the Study of Norwich,” “Commercial Bookbinding,” etc. Joint-author of “Manual of Library Bookbinding”
NORWICH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMITTEE 1917
“I can wonder at nothing more, than how a man can be idle; but, of all other, a Scholar; in so many improvements of reason, in such sweetness of knowledge, in such variety of studies, in such importunity of thoughts. . . . To find wit, in poetry; in philosophy, profoundness; in mathematics, acuteness; in history, wonder of events; in oratory, sweet eloquence; in divinity, supernatural light and holy devotion; as so many rich metals in their proper mines, whom would it not ravish with delight!”— Joseph Hall , Bishop of Norwich , 1641-7.
This book was prepared by instruction of the Norwich Public Library Committee, and it is now published as a souvenir of the sixtieth anniversary of the opening of the present Public Library, which will take place on March 16th, 1917. Norwich occupies a unique place in the history of libraries: it has the distinction of having established in 1608 one of the earliest provincial public libraries, if not the first in England, and it was the first municipality to adopt the Public Library Act, 1850. It is hoped, therefore, that the following sketch, besides giving local readers and archæologists a detailed account of an important Norwich institution, will form an interesting chapter in the history of British Libraries.
The compilation has been made from the recently discovered Minute Book of the old Public Library, covering the period 1656-1733, from annual reports and other official records, and from notes accumulated since 1911. The work has been done under difficulties due to the abnormal conditions caused by the Great War, and I am conscious that imperfections have resulted; for these I crave the reader’s indulgence.