List of libraries in Connecticut in the 18th century explained

This is a list of libraries in 18th-century Connecticut. It includes subscription, rental, church, and academic libraries. In general, it excludes book collections of private individuals.

Abington

• Social Library Association of Abington^[1]

Barkhamsted

• Barkhamsted Library (est.1797)^[2]

Berlin

• Kensington Parish Library, Berlin (est. ca.1788)

Bristol

• First Society in Bristol (est.1792)

Brooklyn

• Union Library, Brooklyn (est.1774)

Chatham

• Republican Library Company, Chatham (est.1795)

Chelsea

• T. Hubbard's circulating library, Chelsea^[3]

Cheshire

• Cheshire Library Society (est.1792)
• Library in Salem Society, Cheshire (est.1783)
• Library in the Society of Columbia, Cheshire (est.1793)

Cornwall

• United Proprietors Library, Cornwall (ca.1799-1804)

Danbury

• Franklin Library, Danbury (1770–1833)
• Library in Bethel Society, Danbury (est.1793)

Durham

• Book Company of Durham (1733–1856)
• Ethosian Society, Durham (1787–1793)
• New Library Company, Durham (est.1788)

East Haddam

• Hadlyme Society, East Haddam (est.179)

East Hartford

• First Library Company, East Hartford (est.1794)
• Union Library, East Hartford (est.1791)

East Haven

• Union Library, East Haven (est.1796)

East Windsor

• Federal Library, East Windsor (est. ca.17890
• Social Library in East Windsor (est.1791)

Farmington

• Library in First Society, Farmington (est.1795)
• Northington Public Library, Farmington (1789-ca.1799)

Franklin

• Franklin Library, Franklin (est.1790)

Griswold

• North Preston Parish Library, Griswold (est.1761)
• Union Circle of Friends, Griswold (1795–1821)

Guilford

• Library of Killingworth, Lyme, Saybrook and Guilford (est.1737; located in Guilford)
• Library of Saybrook, Lime, and Guilford^[4]
• Library in First Society, Guilford (est.1790)

Hadlyme

• Hadlyme Library (est.1789)^[5]

Hartford

• Hartford Library Company^{[6] [7]}

Harwinton

• Episcopalian Society Library, Harwinton (est.1793)
• Juvenile Library, Harwinton (est.1797)
• Union Harwinton Library (1798–1857)^[8]

Lebanon

• Philogrammatican Society, Lebanon^[9]

Litchfield

• St. Paul's Lodge Library, Litchfield (est.1781)^[10]

Madison

• Farmer's Library, Madison (est.1793)

Mansfield

• Proprietors Library North Society, Mansfield (est.1795)
• Proprietors Library South Society, Mansfield (est.1795)

Middletown

• Library Company in Middletown (est.1765)
• Middletown Library^{[11] [12]}

Milford

• Associate Library, Milford (1761–1820)
• Milford Library (est.1745)

Naugatuck

• Library in Salem Society, Naugatuck (est.1783)

New Haven

• Mechanic Library Society of New-Haven (est.1793)^[13]
• New Haven Library Company^[14]
• Yale College Library^[15]

New London

• S. Green's Circulating Library, New London^[16]

New Milford

• Union Library, New-Milford (est.1796)

Newington

• Book Company in Newington (est.1752)
• Charity Library, Newington (est.1787)

North Haven

• Northill Library, North Haven (est.1792)

Northington

• Northington Public Library^[17]

Norwich

• Franklin Library Company, Norwich^[18]
• Library in First Society, Norwich (est. 1796)
• Norwich Library Company (est.1793)^[19]
• John Trumbull's circulating library, Norwich (est.1796)^[20]
• Samuel Trumbull's circulating library, Norwich^[21]

Pomfret

• Social Library of Abington in Pomfret (est.1793)
• United English Library for the Propagation of Christian and Useful Knowledge, Pomfret (1739–1805)

Saybrook

• Library of Second Society, Saybrook (est.1795)

Southington

• Union Library Society, Southington (1797–1847)

Stonington

• Stonington Point Library (est.1793)

Suffield

• Suffield Library (est.1791)

Tolland

• Tolland Proprietary Library (est.1787)

Torrington

• Public Library of Torrington and Winchester (est.1787; located in Torrington)

Warren

• Free Mason Lodge Library, Warren (est.1799)
• Public Library in Warren (est.1770)
• Warren library^[22]

Waterbury

• Library in First Society, Waterbury (est.1771)
• Union Library, Waterbury (est. ca.1797)

Watertown

• Union Library Society, Watertown (est.1799)

West Simsbury

• Friendship Library, West Symsbury (est.1793)^[23]

Weston

• North Fairfield Library, Weston (est. ca.1790)

Wethersfield

• Social Library in Stepney Parish, Wethersfield (est.1794)
• Union Library Society of Wethersfield (1783–1850)^[24]

Winchester

• Society of Winsted, Winchester (est.1799)

Windham

• Library Company in Scotland, Widham (1791–1830)
• Library in First Society, Windham (ca.1795-1798)

Wolcott

• Library in Farmingbury, Wolcott (est.1779)

Woodbridge

• Library in Woodbridge (est.1787)^[25]

Woodbury

• Union Library, Woodbury (est.1772)

Woodstock

• Library of First Society, Woodstock (est.1797)
• United Lyon Library of Woodstock,^[26] also called: United Lynn Library (est.1768)

External links

• Princeton University. Davies Project. American Libraries before 1876.

Notes and References

1. Alice S. McQuaid . 1895 . Sketches of Libraries . Report of the Board of Education of the State of Connecticut ... 1895 . 2011-01-04 .
2. R. Malcolm Sills . 1938 . The 'Trumbull Manuscript Collections' and Early Connecticut Libraries . Papers in honor of Andrew Keogh, librarian of Yale University . Privately printed . New Haven .
3. The Courier (Norwich CT); Date: 07-12-1798
4. A catalogue of books, which belong to the Library of Saybrook, Lime, and Guilford. Connecticut : s.n., 1787?
5. Record books of the Hadlyme Library, one volume, 1789-1830s. American Antiquarian Society. James Terry Papers, 1733-c. 1910.
6. Connecticut Courant (Hartford), March 15, 1774
7. The constitution of the Hartford Library Company; extracts from the by-laws, and a catalogue of the books. Hartford: printed by Hudson & Goodwin, 1797
8. Record books of the Union Harwinton Library, four volumes, 1798-1850s. American Antiquarian Society. James Terry Papers, 1733-c. 1910.
9. Martha Williams Hooker. Booklovers of 1738: one of the first libraries in America. Connecticut Magazine 10:4, 1906
10. Litchfield Monitor; Date: 01-21-1795
11. Middlesex Gazette (CT), 09-29-1797; Middlesex Gazette, 09-27-1799
12. Constitution and regulations of the Middletown library. Middletown [Conn.]: : Printed by T. Dunning., 1797.
13. The constitution and bye-laws of the Mechanic Library Society of New-Haven, with a catalogue of books and list of the proprietors. New Haven: printed by Abel Morse, 1793
14. [The Connecticut Journal|Connecticut Journal]
15. A catalogue of the library of Yale-College in New-Haven. New London: Printed by T. Green, 1743.
16. Connecticut Gazette (New London); Date: 04-23-1796
17. Catalogue of books, belonging to Northington Public Library. Printed at Pittsfield [Mass.]. : s.n., 1798
18. The constitution of the Franklin Library Company. Also, subscribers names, and catalogue of books. Norwich: printed by John Trumbull, 1794
19. A catalogue of books belonging to Norwich Library Company: To which are annexed, extracts from the bye-laws of said company. Norwich [Conn.]: Printed at the press of J. Trumbull, for the Company, [1796?]
20. Norwich Packet; Date: 07-14-1796
21. Norwich Packet; Date: 05-18-1797
22. Record books of the Warren library, one volume, 1791-c. 1809. American Antiquarian Society. James Terry Papers, 1733-c. 1910.
23. Record books of the Friendship Library in West Symsbury, one volume, c. 1793-c. 1805. American Antiquarian Society. James Terry Papers, 1733-c. 1910.
24. The constitution and by-laws of the Union Library Society of Wethersfield, with a catalogue of books, the property of said society. Hartford: printed at Hudson & Goodwin, 1784
25. Record books of the Woodbridge, one volume, 1787-1790s. American Antiquarian Society. James Terry Papers, 1733-c. 1910.
26. United Lyon Library. Records, 1790-1826. American Antiquarian Society.