The Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) stands as a testament to early American intellectual ambition and community cooperation. Founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, this non-profit organization quickly became a cornerstone for the dissemination of knowledge in colonial America. Its establishment marked a significant departure from the private or collegiate libraries that dominated the era, creating a model for shared intellectual resources that would
influence the development of libraries across the nascent United States. The LCP's journey from a small discussion group's initiative to a repository of historically valuable materials reflects the evolving intellectual landscape of the 18th century.
The Junto's Vision: Pooling Resources for Knowledge
The genesis of the Library Company can be traced to the Junto, a discussion group in colonial Philadelphia that gathered around Benjamin Franklin. These individuals, engaged in wide-ranging conversations on intellectual and political themes, often found their discussions hampered by a lack of factual information, which could only be found in a well-stocked library. In the Province of Pennsylvania during this period, books from London booksellers were both expensive and slow to arrive, making it difficult for individuals of moderate means to build comprehensive personal libraries.
Recognizing this challenge, Franklin and his fellow Junto members drew up articles of agreement on July 1, 1731, to found a library. Their pragmatic approach involved pooling resources, as the Library Company's historian noted, where "the contribution of each created the book capital of all." This innovative subscription model allowed members to collectively acquire books that would have been unaffordable individually. Many of the initial books focused on religion and education, and notably, the collection was primarily in English, a contrast to the Latin-dominated academic and private libraries of the time.
Early Operations and Membership
The initial turnout for the Library Company's formation on November 10, 1731, at Nicholas Scull's Bear Tavern was modest, with ten individuals paying their forty shillings. Among these were prominent figures like Robert Grace, Thomas Hopkinson, and Benjamin Franklin himself. Despite the initial small number, the library soon grew to include fifty subscribers, each investing forty shillings and committing to an annual payment of ten shillings to purchase books and maintain the shareholder's library. This structure earned it the moniker "the Mother of all American subscription libraries."
The articles of association stipulated that new members, beyond the initial fifty, required approval from the directors, signing the articles, and paying the subscription. The directors' regular duties included admitting new members and selecting new books. The first librarian hired in America was Louis Timothee, though his tenure was brief. Franklin temporarily took over his duties until William Parsons was appointed, serving for the next 12 years, followed by Robert Greenway, who held the position until 1763.
Accessibility and Collection Development
While primarily a subscription library, Franklin ensured a degree of public access. The library's 1741 catalog noted that non-members could borrow books by leaving a deposit equal to the book's cost, which was returned upon the book's safe return. Members, however, enjoyed the privilege of borrowing books for free. The library initially operated on a limited schedule, open only on Saturdays for four hours in the afternoon.
The collection rapidly expanded beyond its initial focus. A list of desired books, partly compiled by James Logan, described as "the best Judge of Books in these parts," was sent to London, and the first books arrived by autumn. Early donations from members included works by John Locke, the Port Royalists' "Logic: or, the Art of Thinking," Plutarch's "Moralia," and Lewis Roberts' "Merchants Mappe of Commerce." While Latin books were few, the collection diversified significantly. The earliest surviving printed catalog from 1741 revealed that, excluding gifts, a third of the 375 titles were historical works, geographies, and travel accounts. Literature, mainly poetry and plays, constituted a fifth, while another fifth was dedicated to scientific works. Theology and sermons accounted for only a tenth, distinguishing it from collegiate libraries like Harvard and Yale. Philosophy made up another tenth, with economics, social sciences, arts, linguistics, and other categories comprising the remainder. Peter Collinson, a Quaker mercer-naturalist and Fellow of the Royal Society in London, served as the Company's agent, faithfully executing its requests for books and even sending significant collections of 17th-century accounts of British colonies in America.
A Hub for Science and Politics
The Library Company quickly became more than just a repository for books; it evolved into a center for scientific inquiry and political discourse. It began accumulating other curiosities, such as antique coins, fossils, natural history specimens, and minerals. In 1739, John Penn, the proprietor of Pennsylvania, sent an air-pump, prompting the directors to commission a glazed cabinet to house it, which is considered the earliest extant example of American-made Palladian architectural furniture. The library and its collections were housed on the second floor of the newly finished west wing of the State House, later known as Independence Hall. During the 1740s, Franklin and his associates conducted their first experiments in electricity at the State House, further cementing the library's role in scientific advancement.
The library's microscope and telescope were frequently borrowed, and in 1769, Owen Biddle used the telescope to observe the transit of Venus from Cape Henlopen. The institution's growing importance was recognized with a charter issued by the Penn proprietors on March 24, 1742, which included a plot of land. The Library Company's influence extended into the political sphere, serving virtually as the Library of Congress until the national capital was established in 1800. During the First Continental Congress in 1774, the Library Company extended members' privileges to all delegates, an offer renewed for the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Nine signers of the Declaration of Independence, including Benjamin Franklin, were shareholders, with some serving as directors. The library's shelves held virtually every significant work on political theory, history, law, and statecraft, many of which were influential in shaping the minds of the nation's Framers, and these works remain in the Library Company's collection today.
