"In 1840, the libraries obtained better accommodations by the erection of Reed Hall, which was so far completed that the books were shelved just before the Commencement. They were given the second floor of the building, an amount of space which then seemed to give ample room for additions, as the three libraries together numbered only 15,000 volumes. The college library occupied the east half of the floor, while the west side was divided between the two society libraries. The books were first shelved against the wall, then alcoves and cases were added as long as space remained, while for several years previous to the present time the least valuable books have been removed to make space for additions. "In the college library, borrowers have generally been excluded from the rooms in which books are kept, while the reverse has been true in the society libraries. "In June, 1841, the professors of the college with the assistance of some of the gentlemen of the vicinity formed a society since known as the 'Northern Academy.' This society, which was afterwards chartered and has been continued in different forms until the present time, early began the formation of a library. While many old books have been collected, its principal value lies in pamphlets and files of newspapers, some of which covering a number of years extend back beyond the Revolution. This collection, now swelled to several thousand, has always been in connection with the college library, although for several years a want of shelf room and a greater want of funds to place it in usable condition, have made it of little practical value. In 1850, the three libraries having changed little comparatively, numbered 19,000 volumes. The 'Northern Academy,' exclusive of the unbound, had over 1,000 volumes, thus making fully 20,000 volumes accessible. A distinction must be made between the figures given under the different dates (which indicate the number that were actually in the libraries), and the number according to catalogues. The latter were made by adding to former lists the books received during different years, when in fact the additions during some of these years did not more than make good the losses. It frequently happened that ten percent of the catalogued number could not be accounted for. While the society libraries have continued with nearly the same annual additions--an average actual yearly increase of over a hundred volumes,--the great growth of the college library has taken place since 1850. Since that year have been received the donations of books for the different departments of instruction and the funds upon which the constant growth of the library depends. Of these funds the first had its origin in 1846, when Edmund Parker of Nashua, Isaac Parker of Boston, and Joel Parker of Keene, gave $1,000. This was subsequently increased by the latter to $7,000, and in his will (which founded the Law School), provisions were made, that will,