A History of the Public Library Movement in Great Britain and Ireland

John Minto

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN:
  9781032898940
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040225172
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

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.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Original Title
• Original Copyright
• General Introduction to the Series
• Preface
• Contents
• Chapter I. Introductory
• Chapter II. 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
• Chapter III The Need for Libraries Freely Open to the Public—The Minutes of Evidence and Reports of the Select Committee on Public Libraries
• Chapter IV. The Reports of the Committee
• Chapter V. The Public Libraries Act, 1850
• Chapter VI. Early Adoptions of the Act
• Chapter VII. Subsequent Amending Legislation
• Chapter VIII. Further Amending and Consolidating Legislation
• Chapter IX. Removal of the Rate Limitation
• Chapter X. Recent Legislation
• Chapter XI. Public Library Progress and Policy
• Chapter XII. The Library Association
• Chapter XIII. Training for Librarianship
• Chapter XIV. Branch and District Associations and Sections
• Chapter XV. Other Library Association Activities
• Chapter XVI. County Libraries
• Chapter XVII. Commercial and Technical Libraries
• Chapter XVIII. Libraries for the Blind—Hospital Libraries—Children’s Libraries—School Libraries
• Chapter XIX. Prominent Workers and Benefactors
• Appendix I. List of Some Books Consulted
• Appendix II. Conspectus of the Various Acts of Parliament Relating to Public Libraries, Museums, and Gymnasiums
• Index