# List of libraries in 19th-century Philadelphia

The following is a list of libraries located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, active in the 19th century. Included are public libraries, academic libraries, medical libraries, church libraries, government libraries, circulating libraries, and subscription libraries.

## A

* Academy of Natural Sciences
* Agnes Irwin's School
* Almshouse library
* American Baptist Historical Society
* American Baptist Publication Society
* American Catholic Historical Society
* American Entomological Society
* American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia Chapter
* American Philosophical Society (est. 1743).
* American Sunday-School Union
* Apprentices' Library Company
* Athenaeum of Philadelphia

## B

* Baptist Historical Society
* George E. Blake's circulating library
* Board of Missions of Presbyterian Church
* Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies
* Broad Street Academy Library
* Brotherhead's Circulating Library
* Burd Orphan Asylum
* Byberry Library

## C

* Carpenters' Company
* Catholic Philopatrian Society
* Central High School
* Chalk's Circulating Library, North Third St.
* Challen's Circulating Library
* Chase's Circulating Library
* Chestnut Hill Free Library
* Chestnut St. Female Seminary
* Christ Church Hospital
* Christ Church Library
* Christian Hall Library Company
* Church of the Holy Apostle, Sunday School Library
* College Avenue Anat. School
* College of Physicians of Philadelphia
* College of St. Thomas of Villa Nova
* Colored Reading Society
* Controllers of Public Schools Library
* Edward Corfield's circulating library

## D

* Disston Library
* Drexel Institute Library (est.1891)

## E

* Eastburn Academy Library
* Eastern State Penitentiary
* Eclectic Medical College
* Edwin Forrest Home
* Engineers Club
* Episcopal Library and Reading Room

## F

* Female Medical College
* Florence Lit. Inst. and Library
* Franklin Institute
* Franklin Library Association
* Free Circulating Library for the Blind
* Free Library of Philadelphia (est.1891, opened 1894). Main branch located in City Hall (1894), then in Concert Hall (1895–1910)
** College Settlement branch
** Evening Home branch
** West Philadelphia branch
* Free Reading-Room Association of Spring Garden
* Friends' Asylum for the Insane
* Friends' Library
* Friends' Observatory

## G

* George Institute
* German Society of Pennsylvania
* Germantown Library
* Girard College
* Paul Girard's French Circulating Library
* Girl's Normal School Library
* Grand Army Republic, Post No.2
* Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania F.A.A.M.
* D. Guillemet's French Circulating Library

## H

* Hahnemann Medical College
* Harwood's Circulating Library
* Hebrew Literature Society
* Historical Society of Pennsylvania
* Home Teaching and Free Circulating Library for the Blind
* Homoeopathic Medical College
* House of Refuge
* Hirst Free Law Library

## I

* Institute for Colored Youth
* Institution for the Blind
* Institution for Deaf and Dumb
* Irish Library of the Cathedral

## J

* James Page Library Company
* Jefferson Medical College

## L

* La Salle College
* Law Association of Philadelphia
* Leopold's Circulating Library
* Library and Reading Room Association of 23rd Ward (est.1857)
* Library Association of Friends
* Library Company of Colored Persons
* Library Company of Philadelphia (est. 1731), also called the Philadelphia Library
** Ridgway Branch
* Library of Foreign Classical Literature and Science
* Library of the Four Monthly Meetings of Friends
* Lovett Memorial Free Library

## M

* Mantua Academy
* Mariners' Church Library for Seamen
* Sarah McDonald's circulating library, S. 11th St.
* Mechanics' Institute of Southwark
* Medical Institute of Philadelphia
* Medico-Chirurgical College
* Memorial Free Library (Mount Airy)
* Mercantile Library Company
* Ann Miller's circulating library
* Moyamensing Literary Institute (est.1852)
* Mutual Library Co.

## N

* New Church Book Association
* North Broad Street Select School
* Northern Dispensary of Philadelphia
* Northern Home
* Northern Liberties Franklin Library
* Northern Liberties Library and Reading Room Co. (est.1830)
* Numismatic and Antiquarian Society

## P

* Page Library
* Peirce College of Business
* Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
* Pennsylvania College, Medical Dept.
* Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery
* Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
* Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library
* Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane
* Pennsylvania Institution for Deaf and Dumb
* Pennsylvania Seamen's Friend Society
* Philadelphia Board of Trade
* Philadelphia City Institute
* The Philadelphia Club Library
* Philadelphia College of Dental Surgery
* Philadelphia College of Medicine
* Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
* Philadelphia County Prison
* Philadelphia Divinity School
* Philadelphia Hospital Library
* Philadelphia Library Association of Colored Brethren
* Philadelphia Maritime Exchange
* Philadelphia Museum library
* Philadelphia Public Library (est.1892), administered by the city Board of Education. Also called City Library
** Branch no.1: Montgomery Ave. and 17th St.
** Branch no.2: Broad and Federal St.
** Branch no.3: Frankfort Ave.
** Branch no.4: Roxboro
** Branch no.5: West Philadelphia Institute, 40th St.
** Branch no.6: Main St. and Chelten Ave., Germantown
* Philadelphia School of Anatomy
* Philadelphia Seminary
* Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture
* Philadelphia Turngemeinde
* Philips' Circulating Library, Third St.
* John Phillips' circulating library, South Fourth St.
* Polytechnic College
* Mrs. S. Potts' circulating library, Walnut St.
* Presbyterian Board of Publication
* Presbyterian Historical Society
* Presbyterian Home for Widows and Single Women
* Public Library for People of Color

## S

* St. Joseph's College
* St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute
* Seamen's and Landsmen's Aid Society
* Shallus's Circulating Library
* Social Art Club
* Society of Students' library
* Southwark Library Company (est.1822)
* Spring Garden Institute (est.1835)

## T

* Teachers' Institute of Philadelphia
* Theological Seminary (Mount Airy)
* Theological Seminary Reformed Presbyterian Church
* Theological Seminary St. Charles of Boromeo
* Three Monthly Meetings of Friends

## U

* Union Circulating Library
* Union League Library
* United States Mint
* United States Naval Home
* United States Navy Yard
* Universal Peace Union
* University of Pennsylvania
** Furness Library
** Law Department
** Medical Department

## W

* Wagner Free Institute of Science
* Walnut St. Female Seminary
* West Philadelphia Institute
* Western Library Association of Philadelphia (est.1854)
* Wills Hospital
* Wilson's Circulating Library, South 11th St.
* Wistar Medical College
* Women's Christian Association
* Women's Hospital

## Y

* YMCA Philadelphia
* Young Men's Institute