Three Centuries of a City Library: an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Norwich Public Library Established in 1608 and the present Public Library opened in 1857Stephen, Geo. A. (George Arthur)
History
Three Centuries of a City Library: an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Norwich Public Library Established in 1608 and the present Public Library opened in 1857
Stephen, Geo. A. (George Arthur)
Norwich (England). Public Libraries
Provision was made for relieving members from the obligation to assume
the office in their turn, upon payment of a fine. On March 6th, 1682/3
"Mr. Painter being chosen Library keeper for this yeare desired upon the
paymt of 20sh to the use of the library according to the order in that
case made to be excused and he was dismissed from his office, and Mr.
John Whitefoot the younger was chosen library keeper for the same yeare
in his stead."
The Library was under the care of William Sayer, the Librarian of the
"Public Library," from 1801 to 1805, when it was committed to the custody
of the Steward. The Library was again entrusted to the "Public Library"
in 1815, and came under the care of its librarian Richard Langton, until
1833, when he was succeeded by Edward Langton, who retained the office
until the Library was housed at the Free Library in 1862. Henceforth the
books came under the charge of the following Librarians to the
Corporation for the periods stated: Mr. George Harper, 1862-76, Mr.
George Easter, 1877-1900, Mr. J. Geo. Tennant, 1901-11, and Mr. Geo. A.
Stephen, 1911-.
DONATION BOOK AND CATALOGUES.
The first reference in the Minute Book to a catalogue is under date 8th
June, 1657: "The library keeper this day brought in catalogues of the
books wch were affixed. Sixpence was ordered to bee given to a boy for
pasting up the Catalogues." It may perhaps be assumed that these
catalogues were written lists which were displayed in the Library.
At the meeting on Jan. 11th, 1657, an order was given for "a book
consisting of 3 qrs of thick venice paper, to be bound up to make a book
to contain Catalogues of the bookes in the library," and "Mr. Collinges
was desired to keep the office of library keeper untill the aforesaid
book be bought and the Catalogues made."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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