What if one simple idea — pooling resources to share books — could spark a revolution in public knowledge? That's exactly what happened when Benjamin Franklin launched the first library in the North American colonies on November 8, 1731. Known as the Library Company of Philadelphia, it held the distinction of being America's first circulating library. Books were prohibitively expensive at the time, putting them out of reach for most Americans. Access was essentially a privilege reserved for the wealthy and members of the clergy.
The seeds of this venture were planted on July 1, 1731, when Benjamin Franklin gathered with fellow members of the Junto, a philosophical association. Together, they drafted "Articles of Agreement" laying out their plan to establish a library. To make it happen, Junto members pooled their resources, with each person chipping in 40 shillings to get the endeavor off the ground.
Beyond the initial contribution, members committed an additional ten shillings annually to keep the collection growing and well-maintained. Louis Timothee served as the Library Company of Philadelphia's first librarian. Benjamin Franklin himself had a brief stint in the role, followed by William Parsons and then Robert Greenway.
The earliest surviving catalog of what the Library Company held was printed by Benjamin Franklin and dates back to 1741. One thing that set the Library Company of Philadelphia apart from most college and Church libraries of the era was its focus on English-language books, whereas those other institutions primarily carried texts in Latin.
The collection spanned a wide range of subjects — history, science, poetry, exploration, and geography among them. Borrowing was free for members, but non-members needed to provide a surety before they could access any books. Doors were open to visitors on Saturday afternoons, specifically between 4-8 PM.
Philadelphia's Union Library, which came into existence in 1746, eventually merged with the Library Company in 1769. Today, the Library Company of Philadelphia calls 1314 Locust Street home.