1st Edition
A History of the Public Library Movement in Great Britain and Ireland
Originally published in 1932, A History of the Public Library Movement in Great Britain and Ireland is concerned with the rise and progress of the public library as it stood at that time. The establishment and growth of the public library may be viewed as part of the great social movement for the spread of knowledge among the poorer classes which took place in the late eighteenth century and the early years of the nineteenth century. This movement was characterized by the establishment of various educational agencies, which are covered in this book, along with the introduction of the Public Libraries Act passed in 1850 and other legislation that followed.
Preface. 1. Introductory 2. The Spread of Education, and the Resulting Demand for Reading Matter – The Circulation of Popular Literature – Forerunners of the Public Library – Early Municipal Foundations, Parochial Libraries, Itinerating Libraries, Subscription Libraries, Mechanics’ Institutes 3. The Need for Libraries Freely Open to the Public – The Minutes of Evidence and Reports of the Select Committee on Public Libraries 4. The Reports of the Committee 5. The Public Libraries Act, 1850 6. Early Adoptions of the Act 7. Subsequent Amending Legislation 8. Further Amending and Consolidating Legislation 9. Removal of the Rate Limitation 10. Recent Legislation 11. Public Library Progress and Policy 12. The Library Association 13. Training for Librarianship 14. Branch and District Associations and Sections 15. Other Library Association Activities 16. County Libraries 17. Commercial and Technical Libraries 18. Libraries for the Blind – Hospital Libraries – Children’s Libraries – School Libraries 19. Prominent Workers and Benefactors. Appendixes. Index.
Biography
John Minto (1863–1935) was the eminent Librarian of the Signet Library in Edinburgh, UK.
