LIBRARIES
The Library Company of Philadelphia, Locust Street, east of Broad; first circulating library in the United States; founded by subscription in 1731, by Benjamin Franklin and his friends of the Junto Club; charter granted by John, Thomas, and Richard Penn in 1781; original building, Fifth and Library Streets, designed by Dr. Thornton, now the Drexel Building; present building, architect, Frank Furness in 1889; is a haven for scholars interested in historical research; also has important collections of books on costume, foreign literature, and complete set of Punch, begun in 1840; among historic relics are original sketches made for Watson’s Annals of Philadelphia; William Penn’s desk from Pennsburg; John Dickinson’s reading desk, and Heraldic Hatchment, used at his funeral; and the André collection. The Ridgeway Branch, Broad and Christian Streets, founded by bequest of Dr. James Rush; architect, Addison Hutton; built, 1878, Doric, granite; contains terra cotta bust of Minerva, heroic size, probably French work; formerly behind the Speaker’s chair in the Continental Congress, Sixth and Chestnut Streets, given to the Philadelphia Library, 1783, also some articles of Boule, and illuminated manuscripts.
Mercantile Library, Tenth Street above Chestnut; was established 1821, at 100 Chestnut Street, present building, originally a market house, with room seventy-four by two hundred feet, and high-arched ceiling, makes ideal condition for library work on one floor; this is a circulating library of general literature for stockholders and members, who only are admitted into the reading room, where they have unrestricted use of books.
Philadelphia City Institute, 218 South Nineteenth Street, was founded, 1852, by public-spirited citizens, for the purpose of benefiting young men, by establishing a free library and night school; library free to the public.
The Free Library of Philadelphia, northeast corner of Thirteenth and Locust Streets, chartered, 1891, from endowment fund, left in will by William Pepper, M.D., LL.D., for a free library in the city of Philadelphia: opened temporarily in City Hall; removed to old Concert Hall, 1217-21 Chestnut Street, now in old building of College of Physicians; contains bust of Dr. Pepper, by Carl Bitter, and portraits; a large new library building is in process of construction on the Parkway, Nineteenth and Vine Streets. Growth and usefulness, from its inception, are due to the management of the late Dr. John Thomson, Librarian; now includes a main building, 26 branches, as well as deposit stations and traveling libraries; total circulation for home use in 1916, 2,767,310. Hearty coöperation exists between the public schools and the Free Library; school extension lectures are given to the children of the grammar grades; and “story hours” are weekly events for younger children in the branch libraries. Reference and periodical departments contain works on art, architecture, and archæology, extremely valuable to the practical student and designer; here are facsimiles of many most noted, of early printed books and manuscripts, Bible codices, etc.; the “open shelf” system is used in all departments. Fine buildings of the branch libraries have been developed in their architectural proportions and decoration, on the traditions of French and English Renaissance, or local expression of the Georgian; always with top lighting, considered extremely important: in the basement of the branch at Seventeenth and Spring Garden Streets is a large and valuable collection of government documents; the Josephine Widener Memorial Branch, Broad Street and Girard Avenue, has reference books of priceless nature and rare prints, issued before A.D. 1500.