Mis No. 48. 85 



biitjons to Knowledge." I regret tliat iho answers to tlie queries liave not 

 all been received, so that I am unable at present to oiler a full report re- 

 specting Uieni. q^he most important statistics have, however, been ob- 

 tained. I liese arc presented in an accompanying document. I beg leave 

 here to otter some important deductions from the facts contained in this 

 paper. 



The aggregate number of volumes in the public libraries of the United 

 States is about 1 ,294 ,000. These are distributed among 1 82 libraries. Forty- 

 three of these libraries contain over 10,000 volumes each; nijie over20 000 

 each; and only two over 50,01K}. The library of Harvard University,' the 

 largest this side the Atlantic, contains, together with the libraries of the 

 law^ school and divinity school, upwards of 70,000 volumes. 



These statements enable us to institute an instructive comparison be- 

 tween our libraries and those of the principal nations of Europe. It should 

 be premised, however, that it is a very ditflcult thing to procure exact stak.sfics 

 of libraries. With reference to France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, and 

 Spain, we are in possession of comparatively accurate returns. With re- 

 spect to Great Britain, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, and ^'or\vay, those 

 which I give below are as accurate as I could procure, though certainly 

 iiot very satisfactory. I am not acquainted with any book which gives a 

 good account of the present condition of libraries in several of these coun- 

 tries except one,* to which I have not had access. For greater conve- 

 nience of reference and comparison, I present these statistics in a tabular 

 form. 



The first column of the table gives the name of the country. 



The second, the year to which the statistics relate. 



The third, the number of public libraries. 



By public libraries are not meant those exclusively which are opened to 

 the public without restriction, but rather those belonging to public insti- 

 tutions, and which are accessible under proper regulations to persons who 

 wish to consult them for literary purposes. 



The fourth column contains the aggregate number of volumes in the 

 libraries. 



The fifth gives the number of libraries containing over 10,000 volumes 

 each. 



The sixth, the average number of volumes in libraries containing over 

 10,000 volumes each. 



The seventh, the number of volumes in the largest library of eacli 

 country. 



The eighth, the number of volumes to every million of inhabitants. 



* 1 allude to the Arahiv der Gesellsehaft fiir aeltere deutsche Geschitskunde. Heraus-^. v. G. 

 H. Periz. Rd. 8. Hannov, Hahii, 1843, 8°. Petzholdt in the Anzeiger fiir Literatur der 

 Bibliothekwissenschafl for 1843, terms this an almost inexhaustible source of information 021 



European Libraries. „ , . rr.. • /• 



Nq^j, Since writin<^ the above, 1 have received the volume alluded to. 1 he information 



which it contains, though fully justifying the expression of Putzholdt, relates principally to the 

 manuscript treasures of the liuraries, and is not of a statistical character. 



article 



The original article 1 have not as yet been able to procure. It appears to have been prepared 

 with gre'atcare and a wide examination of authorities. It would doubtless have saved n;e much 

 laborfous research had 1 seen it before writing my report. 



