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the oldest library in America began with a 400-book donation by a Massachusetts clergyman, John Harvard, to a new university that eventually honored him by adopting his name. Another clergyman, Thomas Bray from England, established the first free lending libraries in the American Colonies in the late 1600s. Subscription libraries - where member dues paid for book purchases and borrowing privileges were free - debuted in the 1700s. In 1731, Ben Franklin and others founded the first such library, the Library Company of Philadelphia. The initial collection of the Library of Congress was in ashes after the British burned it during the War of 1812. The library bought Thomas Jefferson's vast collection in 1815 and used that as a foundation to rebuild.
It wasn't until waves of immigration and the philosophy of free public education for children that public libraries spread in the US. The first public library in the country opened in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in 1833. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie helped build more than 1,700 public libraries in the US between 1881 and 1919.
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When was rochdales original public library built?
John Bright opened the first free public library in 1874 (that is also when it was built)
Which state opened the first children library in 1803?
The first children's library in the US. was built in 1803. It was located in Connecticut.
Which empire developed the first library of Nineveh?
The Neo-Assyrian empire, the library was built by Ashurbanipal
Who invented the first library?
The early Assyrians probable built them.
Did Octavian build Rome's first library?
No, but Octavian/Augustus did build a large double library, which consisted of two adjoining buildings. One building was for Greek works and the other for Roman works. The first public library built in Rome was built by Gaius Pollio.
