39 [ 120 ] 



The number cf libraries containing over 20,000, (counting 

 with the college libraries those of societies of students con- 

 nected with the colleges, and excluding the four libraries . 

 above nicnlioned) ' - - - - . . n 



The number of libraries contraning from 10,000 to 20,000 vol- 

 umes ---.'. . 38 



The number of libraries containing from 5,000 to 10,000 - 75 



The whole number of libraries containing over 5,000 volumes 



each - - - . . . . ]|38. 



Whole number of hbraiies containing between ] ,000 and 5,000 



volumes --•.,.. 437 



These libraries may be classed as follows: 



1. Slate libraries, including those of the general govennnent and those 

 of the State courts Almost all the States in the Union have organized 

 State libraries. Those which have not, possess collections of books 

 which will ere long serve as the foundations of such Libraries. These 

 libraries are composed, to a great extent, of public documents of the gen- 

 eral and State governments, with works on statistics, political economy, 

 history, &c. Some of them, as the Congress library, the New York 

 Stste library, (fee, take a much wider range, and are extremely valuable 

 collections for general reference. 



The whole number of these libraries is - - • 38 



The aggregate number of volumes contained in them is - 283,037- 



2. Social libraries, including athenaeums, lyceums, young men's asso- 

 ciations, mechanics' institutions, mercantile libraries, &c. — These libraries 

 are generally composed ol popular works for reading rath.er than for '•efer- 

 ence. But among them are many of the best collections in the country. 

 They generally contain only English books. I think, however, that any 

 one, looking over the catalogues of these libraries, would be surprised and 

 gratiJfied to find them so well selected. History, biograpliy, travels, fic- 

 tion, and periodical literature, constitute the staple in most of them, 

 though many are well supplied in almost every branch of knowledge. 



1 have reason to fear that the statistics which 1 have been able to collect 

 are more incomplete with reference to this than to any other class. In 

 some States, almost every town has, under some name, a social library. 

 Most of these collections, it is true, are very small, containing less than 

 a thousand volumes; but there doubtless are a great many, far more 

 considerable in size, which I have unintentionally overlooked, but of 

 which 1 hope hereafter to be able to give information. 

 The whole number of social libraries included in the notices is 9% 



Their aggregate mnnlier of volumes is ... 562,229- 



3. College libraries, (exclusive of students' libraries.) — Our colleges 

 "are mostly eleemosynary institutions. Their libraries are frequently the 



chance aggregations of the gifts of charity; too many of them discarded, 

 as well nigh worthless, from the shelves of the donors. This is not true 

 of all our college libraries; for among them are a few of the choicest and 

 most valuable collections in the country, selected with care and competent 

 learning, purchased with economy, and guarded with prudence, tliough 

 ever available to those who wish to use them aright. 

 The number of college libraries in the notices is - - Il§ 



The aggregate number of volumes . - - - 580,901 



