The sun., 1909-02-14
The New York society Library.

4
The capacious volume Of some 600 pages
large octave which bears the name OF
History of he Nev York Society Librdri
is really Of wider range than the title
indicates. The author. Mr.. AUSTIN BAx-
TER KEEP. has prefxed to his account OF
the subject proper a review Of the various
Libraries that existed in Colonial New York
This sketch required much research. and
we shall profit by It before proceeding
to mark the evolution Of the New York
Society Library, founded in 1854.
IL appears that the earliest printed men,
ton Of library as an institution In New
York OCCURS in a little book. now rare,
published in London in 1903. This book
credits the city OF New York with library.
the establishment Of which was due to
the Rev. Thomas Bray. d. ID. In manu-
script catalogue-about all that remains
Of this early collection-the price OF each
volume Ia carefully inserted. the total
cost amounting TO exactly go. This list
is to-day, as it has been for nearly two
hundred years. in the possession Of -Dr
Bray's Associates" a board Of trustees
organized by him in 172S to found clerical
HDTdTleS ana tnc cuuCdtiOh vi ncBIo
slaves in the Colonies.
Under the heading "a register OF the
books sent toward laying the foundation
OF a Provincial Library in New York
appear I57 titles pertaining to 220 vol
umes, which represented the standard
works of the period for a clergyman's IL
brary That the little assortment reached
it's destination Is proved by a fairly exact
copy OF the catalogue spread in full on
the old manuscript book OF minutes Of the
vestry Of Trinity parish under the following
slightly altered inscription. which. how
ever, expresses precisely the intention
Of the founders: a Register OF the Books
sent toward laying the foundation OF
parochial Library in New York. for the
use Of the Ministers Of Holy Trinity
Church" That the books were housed in
the first Trinity church edifice which
stood on the present site is plain from a
letter OF the Rev. William Besey. first
rector of Trinity parish, TO Gov. Nichol-
son, dated June ., 1902, in which he tells
how at the suggestion OF his Reverence,
DR.. Bray happy Society OF the sew
eral ministers of the city was main
tanned in the Church Library Other
lists, also preserved In the archives OF the
Bray Associates, show that additions
were made from time to time to the origi-
nal collection. or that collection a vol
ume Of Lord Clarendons history OF the
alone survives to-day In the
Society Library
1t is thus patent that the first library in
New York was wholly parochial in scope.
There is no evidence that the Dutch had
ever 30 much as thought OF a church H.
brary in New York, and II ia even less
probable that religious bodies in the city
other than the Dutch Reformed Church
had libraries. The later history Of the
old Trinity Parish Library eliminates in |
dramatic fashion. After i74s no allusion
TO this library. either in the church rec
ords or elsewhere, has come TO light prior !
to the chronicling OF its virtually CON-
plete destruction in the great fire OF Sep
tember. i77e. The damage caused by the
loss Of the library 10 computed at 400. a
sum for those days.
The first New York Library. that Of
Trinity parish. never was public library
1t all. The earliest attempt to found H.
orary which should be Of benefit TO the
at large was made by the Rev.
John Sharpe. and although his plan was
lot carried out some Of the books col
ected for the purpose-now numbering
"a volumes under lo4 titles--ult ltimately
,ecame a part OF the Society Library.
L is an interesting fact that the first
public circulating library in New York
,ity was started by the Rev John Milling-
on. an English clergyman, who on his
ieath in I7:s bequeathed his books to
he Society for the Propagation Of the
}ospel. expressing a wish. however, that
hey should be sent TO the plantations in
america. The society decided to send
hem TO New York city. and the corpora
ion agreed TO provide a large room for
heir accommodation. In 1882 no fewer
han I.e42 volumes were received, which
,ecame the nucleus Of corporation
library. By 17o5 the number OF books
lad increased to 1000, By l77o there ,
we're no fewer than FIVE distinct collec-
ions Of books in the City Hall, namely,
he Trinity Parish Library the Society
library founded in i75D. the library Of
hs Union Society. the Corporation Lii
rary and the library Of Kings College.
4 all these books very few were rescued
rom the disastrous oonhagration Of i77e. |