This is a list of libraries in 18th-century Massachusetts, North America. It includes subscription, rental, medical, church, and academic libraries. In general, it excludes book collections of private individuals.
Boston American Academy of Arts and Sciences (est. 1780) W.P. & L. Blake's Circulating Library, Boston"Found." The Minerva (Dedham, Massachusetts); Date: 12-06-1798 Boston Library Society (est.1792) Christ Church Benjamin Guild's circulating library, BostonNew select catalogue of Benjamin Guild's circulating library : containing principally novels, voyages, travels, poetry, periodical publications, and books of entertainment. At the Boston Book-Store, no. 59, Cornhill. Boston: Printed for Benjamin Guild, 1789 King's ChapelMerritt. 1917At present the Boston Athenaeum "houses the King's Chapel Collection of mostly 17th century theological works." http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/node/32 Retrieved 2010-12-17 William Martin's Circulating Library, BostonCatalogue of Martin's Circulating Library, at no. 45, Main-Street, Boston. Boston: Printed by Edmund Freeman, 1786Glowing testimonial about Martin's "Boston Circulating Library" from a "country customer" printed in the Independent Chronicle (Boston), reprinted in: New-Haven Gazette, 01-19-1786 Massachusetts Historical Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, BostonCatalogue of books in the Massachusetts Historical Library. Boston, Printed by S. Hall, no. 53, Cornhill, 1796 Massachusetts Medical SocietySamuel A. Green. Portions of the Centennial Address before the Massachusetts Medical Society, June 7, 1881. Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, June 8, 1881. John Mein's Circulating Library, BostonA catalogue of Mein's Circulating Library; : consisting of above twelve hundred volumes, in most branches of polite literature, arts and sciences; viz. history, voyages, travels, lives, memoirs, antiquities, philosophy, novels, divinity, physic, surgery, anatomy, arts, sciences, plays, poetry, husbandry, navigation, gardening, mathematics, laws, &c. &c. &c. : Which are lent to read, at one pound eight shillings, lawful money, per year; eighteen shillings per half-year; or, ten and eight pence per quarter; by John Mein, bookseller at the London Book-Store, second door above the British Coffee-House, north-side of King-Street, Boston. Boston: : Printed [by M'Alpine and Fleeming], 1765 New England Library, collected by Thomas PrinceThe collection of Thomas Prince now resides in the Boston Public Library. Catalogue of the collection of books and manuscripts which formerly belonged to the Rev. Thomas Prince, and was by him bequeathed to the Old South Church, and is now deposited in the Public Library of the City of Boston. 1870 William Pelham's circulating library Town Library, in the Town-House, King St.
Boylston, Massachusetts Social Library, Boylston Center (est.1792)
Bridgewater, Massachusetts Library in the East Precinct of Bridgewater
Cambridge, Massachusetts Harvard College LibraryCatalogus, eorum qui in Collegio Harvardino, quod est Cantabrigiæ Nov-Anglorum, ab anno 1642. ad annum 1700
Concord, Massachusetts Charitable Library Society, Concord (est.1795)
Dorchester, Massachusetts Dorchester LibraryRules and orders of the Dorchester Library : with a catalogue of the books, August, MDCCXCIV. Boston : By I. Thomas and E.T. Andrews, Faust's Statue, no. 45, Newbury Street, 1794
Douglas, Massachusetts Douglas Social Library Association (est.1799)
Falmouth, Massachusetts First Congregational Church Library, Falmouth
Franklin, Massachusetts Franklin Library (est.1786)
Groton, Massachusetts Groton First Parish Library (est.1793)
Haverhill, Massachusetts Haverhill LibraryRules and regulations of Haverhill Library, 1796. Early American Imprints, Series 1, no. 47800
Hingham, Massachusetts First Social Library, Hingham Centre (est.1771)
Lancaster, Massachusetts Lancaster Library (est.1790)
Leicester, Massachusetts Leicester Social Library Company (est.1793)
Leominster, Massachusetts Social Library, Leominster (est.1763)
Lincoln, Massachusetts Lincoln Social Library (est.1798)Proceedings at the dedication of the Lincoln Library, Massachusetts: August 5, 1884. Cambridge, Mass.: John Wilson and Son. University Press, 1884
Lunenburg, Massachusetts Lunenburg Social Library (est.1792)
Marlborough, Massachusetts Social Library, Marlborough
Medfield, Massachusetts Medfield Social Library (est.1786)
Middleton, Massachusetts Social library, Middleton (est.1772)
Newburyport, Massachusetts First Social Library, NewburyportNewburyport_Herald.; Date: 12-31-1799 Newburyport Book-Store circulating libraryImpartial Herald (Newburyport, Massachusetts); Date: 10-24-1797 Newburyport LibraryA catalogue of books in the Newburyport Library (Newburyport, Mass. : Blunt and March, 1795). The constitution and catalogue of books, of the Newburyport Library (Newburyport [Mass.] : printed by Edmund M. Blunt, 1797) George Jerry Osborne's circulating library, "at his shop, Guttemberg's Head" NewburyportEssex Journal(Newburyport, Massachusetts); Date: 06-13-1792
Newton, Massachusetts Newton Library SocietyConstitution of the Newton Library Society, 1799. Early American Imprints, Series 1, no. 48949
Oxford, Massachusetts Social Library, OxfordGeorge Fisher Daniels. History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts: with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Volume 1. Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town, 1892
Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield Library SocietyBerkshire Gazette (Pittsfield, Massachusetts); Date: 03-28-1798
Rowe, Massachusetts Rowe Social Library (est.1797)
Royalston, Massachusetts Library Company of Royalston (est.1778)
Salem, Massachusetts William Carlton's circulating library, SalemSalem_Gazette; Date: 08-20-1793 John Dabney's circulating library, SalemCatalogue of books, for sale or circulation, in town or country, by John Dabney, at his book and stationary store, and circulating library, in Salem. [Salem, Mass.] : Printed [by Thomas C. Cushing] for J. Dabney, 1791 Philosophical Library, Salem (est.1781)Cynthia B. Wiggin. "Salem Athenaeum." Journal of Library History; 1968, Vol. 3 Issue 3, p257-260 Social Library, Salem (est.1760)Essex Gazette.; Date: From Tuesday, September 12, to Tuesday, September 19, 1769Bylaws and regulations of the incorporated proprietors of the Social Library in Salem. 1797
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield Library CompanyCatalogue of books, belonging to the Springfield Library Company, April, 1796. Springfield, Mass. : Printed by Francis Stebbins, 1796
Wareham, Massachusetts Wareham Social LibraryCatalogue of books, belonging to Wareham Social Library, 1798. Newbedford, Mass. : By J. Spooner, for the proprietors, 1798
Watertown, Massachusetts Union Library Society (est.1779)
Westford, Massachusetts Social library, Westford (est.1797)
Williamstown, Massachusetts Williams College Library
Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester Circulating Library CompanyRules and regulations of the Worcester Associate Library Company. 1793 Worcester District Medical Library (est.1798)
See also Books in the United States Culture of Massachusetts List of booksellers in Boston List of libraries in 19th-century Boston, Massachusetts List of public libraries in Massachusetts List of libraries in the United States Literature of New England
References
External links Princeton University. Davies Project. American Libraries before 1876.