[120] 38 



present. I cannot suppose that this list contains all the public libraries 

 in the country. I have reason to fear, on the contrary, that great num- 

 "bers have been omitted, v/hich are more important than some which have 

 been noticed. I have sent out, however, more than 900 circulars, have 

 written several hundred letters, and have endeavored to obtain full and ac- 

 curate statistics. But, in the vast extent of our favored land there are 

 almost innumerable collections of books, which are unknown beyond, the 

 sphere of their own usefulness. Of tliese it is impossible at once to gather 

 perfect accounts. We may hope that the publication and circulation of 

 the notes now collected will lead the officers of institutions, which we 

 have unintentionally neglected, to give us knowledge of their existence and 

 character. We hope to be useful to all of tliera in return, and to b e in constant 

 correspondence with them. Our own publications, and those intrusted to 

 us for distribution, will be to them, as we have reason to suppose, accept- 

 able and useful. We wish to ascertain the actual literary wealth of the 

 country. This is necessary, to enable us to provide intelligently for its 

 wants. My investigations have not been limited to the public libraries, 

 though I have not felt at liberty to make detailed statements respecting 

 private collections. These last, however, are of great value. In one sense 

 ilmy nxQ public libraries. Almost without exception, access to them is 

 freely allov/ed to all persons who wish to use them for research. The lar- 

 gest of all the private libraries in this country — that of our honored fellow- 

 citizen, Col. Force — is the almost constant resort of the students of Ameri- 

 can history. The liberality of private collectors of books in this country is 

 highly commendable. They are not ^'bibliomaniacs," nor"bibliotaphs," 

 but men of sense and learning, who have been compelled, by the poverty 

 of public collections, to supply for themselves the means of pursuing 

 their investigations. They are not the men to be literary misers, or to 

 give way to mean and unscholarly envy. Happy is it for the progress of 

 our nation that such is the case. 



These notices are not confined to the mere statement of the number of 

 volumes and other articles in each library, but were intended to include a 

 historical sketch of each, a general account of the kind of works of which 

 it is composed, and a detailed account of many rare and valuable books and 

 manuscripts; with the statement of the resources, the rate of increase, and 

 the use m.ade of the collection. For these details 1 must, of course, refer 

 to the appendix. It may not, however, be out of place to insert here a 

 summary of the nuniber of libraries, with their size and general character. 



The whole number of libraries, (including those of the district 



schools,) of which I have been able to collect accounts, is - 10,640 

 The aggregate number of volumes ... - 3,641,76.5 



The whole number, exclusive of district school libraries - 644 



The aggregate number of volumes in these - - - 2,144,069 



(These are exclusive of pamphlets, manuscripts^ maps and 



charts, &c.) 

 The number of libraries said to contain 50,000 volumes and 

 upwards, is but four, namely: Harvard University, (inclu- 

 ding the public library, 56,000; Law, 13,000; Theological, 

 3,tJU0; Medical, 1,200; students' hbraries, 10,000 volume.^,) 83,200 

 The Philadelphia and Loganian Libraries - - . 60,000 



Congress Library ...... 50,000 



Boston Athenteura ---.--- 50,000 



