The sun., 1909-02-14

The library Of the Union Society, which
was but Ave years old, claimed TO hsv.
comprised near one thousand Volumes
at the time OF tho frs. and IL Ia a mer.
guess that the library Of Kings College
may at that date have approx mated 2,ooo
volumes. The Society Library is believed
to have contained about 1000.
We come now to the main subject Of tn.
book before us, namely, the history of IN.
New York Society Library. Founded in
1854. IL was from the start a subscription
| library. The list OF Its organizers in
cludes the names Of James Alexander
Philip Livingston. William Alexander
Robert r. Livingston, William Livingston.
John Morin-Scott and one other person
who probably was William Smith. ,Ir
All the men named were Acknowledged
leaders Of an associa ton called the WhiR
Club, in opposition to the Government.
or Royalist, party. The three Livingstons
are all well known TO the students of Co.
lonial and revolutionary history. By
no means the least significant name. how
ever. in the little group Of founders OF
the Society Library is that Of William
Alexander. son of the eminent advocate
and counsellor James Alexander, known
to his American contemporaries as the
titular Earl Of Stirling. Beginning life
in mercantile pursuits. he was made an
army contractor by Gen. Shirley, and
later became his private secretary. At
an early age he was appointed to the
Governors Council OF New York and
subsequently New Jersey. where, like
his brother-in-law. William Livingston.
he dwelt in considerable state. Well
informed on literary and scientific sub.
jects, a member of the board Of COVER
nors Of Kings College. he was also a man
Of action. for he played q distinguished
role In the Revolution, participating COM
spicuously In notable engagements, for
which services he was rewarded with the
thanks of Congress on several occasions
and with a Major Generals commission.
By birth and marriage Lord Stirling was
related to leading houses Of the province.
It Is a family tradition that his mother
suggested the library idea.
Within about a month the founders
whom We have named chose q board OF
trustees and raised by private subscrip-
ton a sum which the author Of this book
says was sufficiently ample TO sustain tn.
enterprise. Some seventy gentlemen sub
scribed E5 apiece and agreed to pay ten
shillings a year for the purpose. Arti-
oles Of association. were drawn up under
which the institution prospered for more
than eighteen years, or until charter was
secured In i772. Although for its early
years the institution was not styled So
ciety Library in the minutes. 1t yet ia
plain that this name was soon decided
upon. Nevertheless for fully 100 years
the Society Library was popularity called
the City Library" long after the Mer-
camille Library Association and the Ap-
prentices Library were established in
1920 and even after the insignificant be-
ginning OF the present City Library in
the City Hall. a collection chiefly OF rec
ords for consultation only under SUPER
vision by the Board Of Aldermen Win
the gradual development Of the moderl
free library system. however. the old ap-
pellation City Library has fallen into
disuse and would not now be recognizes
rs being by far the Oldest library in the
city-the New York Society Library.
In l773. the year after a royal charter
was secured. the catalogue. though larger
than the earlier issues, ia still but modest
paper covered pamphlet of 80 pace.
in only twenty-five Of which arc books
enumerated. The catalogue proper con-
tains a total Of ,295 volumes, the last 3
accounting before their dispersion. Dur
ing the Revolutionary War all the Libraries
Of the city were either burned or looted
and their contents scattered TO the four
winds. In particular the Society Library.
the fruit Of more than twenty years a
labor. was stricken seemingly with ami.
hilation. An attempt made in 1854 10
revive the institution proved premature
but in 1850 the charter was regrsnted
by the New York Legislature, and the
society obtained the right to use a room
In Federal Hall (which stood on the present
site OF the Sub b-Treasury Building), and
here the germ of new library was started.
Not until 1895 did the New York Society
Library have a building OF its own. which
stood in Nassau street on the site now
occupied by the National Bank OF Com
merce. At this time the replenished col.
lection included some 5000 volumes.
This building. by the way. was insured
Tor "a, 500 in i7oe, but there 10 no mention
Of any insurance on the books.
h5 coClCty VI
sau street until 1885, four years after which
Il was installed in its second building.
which had been erected where the New
York Life Insurance Company's premises
now stand The number Of books had
increased materially. Computed at be-
,ween 1900 and 5000 volumes in 1918,
he library was found by committee o.
nvestigat ton in 1897 to comprehend about
IS. 900 volumes. We may here mention
hat in 1886, when the librarys third
and present home was erected
University place, between Twelfth and
Thirteenth streets. the collection Of books
which had numbered IS 900 volumes in
$50, was said to comprise 10000. about
900 in classic and foreign tongues and
he remainder English books In 1854
here were 1900 volumes, and by 1872
he number had risen approximately TO
o,OOo. At present the library contains
'ver 10000 volumes.
That the usefulness OF the Society
library may be appreciated we should
mention that the annual circulation of
'ooks has risen TO nearly 10000. In 1900
he free delivery of books was introduced
" the trustees, and in 1908 more than
7 900 volumes were carried by messengers
o over 1900 residences and offices. ~
he present time the number OF shares
cid in the library ia about 725, the great
majority OF which are unassessed or free
.t