Massachusetts is home to a number of great libraries and has been for many years! But do you know just how many libraries were functioning in Massachusetts in the late 1800s? Visit us throughout this month to find out! We’re displaying Free Public Libraries of Massachusetts, a map designed and hand-drawn by George Hartnell Bartlett in 1893.
While we were closed to the public in 2021, we shared a 1904 version of this map in our “virtual display case.” You can read more about that version and about Bartlett himself here. The version that we’re displaying this month differs a bit in design. Instead of drawings of each library, this map is much more number focused. In this version, each city or town is identified along with a number signifying its population. If the town includes a library, then a little book is drawn, and within that book is a number that shows how many volumes are included in its library. For example, Worcester has a population size of 84,656 and a volume size of 89,268 - enough for each person in the city to check out a book at the same time, and then still have almost 5,000 left on the shelves! The map also gives some state-wide figures and shows that in 1893 there were 352 cities and towns in Massachusetts and 300 of them had free public libraries. In 1892, the number of volumes circulated for home use throughout the Commonwealth was 5,040,629 – that’s pretty impressive considering that the population of Massachusetts at the time of the 1890 census was 2,228,943!
We typically try to highlight a collection item that has some sort of seasonal connection, and at first glance this might not seem like a likely contender for July, a time when in the past we’ve shared more blatantly patriotic items like our newspaper copy of the Declaration of Independence, our broadside version of the Declaration of Independence, a 1849 program of 4th of July events and an 1890 photograph of the State House adorned in bunting. But this map is, in fact, a timely collection item because it speaks to the role that libraries play in supporting our democratic society. Massachusetts is home to the first and longest continuously running public lending library. The town of Franklin was incorporated in 1790 and was named after Benjamin Franklin. When it was suggested that Franklin donate a bell for the meeting house tower, he instead donated a small collection of books. This collection went on to become the foundation of the first circulating library in the country, accessible to all citizens in the town, and is still currently housed at the Franklin Public Library. Of the donation over books instead of a bell, Franklin was said to have stated that “sense” was preferable to “sound.” And as Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, is quoted as saying, “an educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people." Both quotes support the statement that libraries are a cornerstone of our democracy. Libraries give citizens the opportunity to establish and engage in an informed discourse, which is at the foundation of a free society. Circulating collections, database access, public programming, and research assistance are just some of the ways that librarians strive to provide all citizens, regardless of race, religious affiliation, age, gender, with safe access to resources and services that promote education, well-being, and engagement.
From the first circulating library in 1790, to the publication of this map in 1893, to today, libraries have been hubs of resources for those seeking knowledge. Check out the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights to see the policies that libraries abide by to ensure that they continue to be forums for information for all. And stop by the library throughout the month to see the map of Commonwealth libraries on display! If you can’t visit us in person, click on the image above or explore a high-resolution copy available through the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian