The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-10
THE YALE LIBRARY.
Its History and Connection With Yale'I
 Growth.

Its History and Connection With Yale'E
 Growth.
 Since the Yale library hassnow grown
 to such an extensive size, and so lit
 tie is generally known as to the rela-
 tive value of the collections which 1t contains, this sketch of it's progress
 from 1714 to 1894 has been prepared. The history of the library Is one of active growth and progress from the very beginning of the college, when FSO was presented by the founders to start collection of books, up to the present time.
 The real date of the beginning of the library may be put at 1714 when a collection of books about 700 in number was sent over from England by Jere- miah Drummer, all of which were his gift, or given as the result of his solici- tation, When the college moved to New Haven the number of books was at once more than doubled by gift of LOGO volumes from Bishop Berkeley. These were presented in 1793 and the l library received no such large gift again for almost hundred years. The 1 first catalogue was published by Presi- dent Clappin, 1743, and the number of volumes was estimated at about 2,600. It was not until 1763 that any money was presented toward permanent fund for the increase of the library. In this year the Rev. Jared Eliot gave $100, and the fund from that time on grew rapid ly until in 1880 it amounted to S19,000, in 1875 to $45, 900, and in 1894 to almost $100,60O
 It is impossible to mention in detail all the gifts which the library has re- ceived both in money and books, but it Is safe to say that it's most munificent benefactor was Professor Salisbury who presented, in addition ito his large and valuable collection of Oriental books and manuscripts the sum of s. GOO to enlarge it. No other department of the library approaches this in value or completion.
 Tn addition to this gift of Professor Salisbury, the library contains the fol- lowing notable collections; Three thou sand volumes of Chinese literature, which include a very valuable and con- plete series of the dynastic histories in 217 volumes. 5000 volumes of Japan csc literature; 1850 volumes on Congre- gational History and Polity, and the History of the Pilgrims; 5000 volumes of Russian literature; $500 plays of the French drama. Collections in the following subjects should also be mem toned as being almost complete. American History, American Genealogy, l United States Congressional documents, 1 Meteorology.
 The Brothers and Linonian libraries, | which were built up by the efforts of the students to provide for themselves | what the college used to be too poor | to furnish-a good collection of books l In general litefature-were founded about ITO. Each had about t3,0O0 | books in 1870 In 1871, by vote of | teh two societies, the libraries were | placed under the control of the college | library committee, with the under | standing that they should be united, a | means recommended both from reasons of economy and convenience. This | union was completed in 1872; all du- | plicates were sold. and this reduced the | of books, to about 17,000.
 An idea as to the Average growth of | the library year by year. may be gain ed from the fact that in 1893 there were added 335O volumes by purchase, and 2,3O0 books and 5,700 pamphlets by | gife; also to the Linonian Brothers lib- rary by purchase, 79O volumes, making a total increase of 6400 volumes and 5, 700 pamphlets for that year.
 The phenomenal growth of the li- brary has kept pace with Yale's pres tige as an educational institution, and affords promise of still greater results for the future.