Salem Social Library

The Salem Social Library (1760–1810), also known as the Social Library in Salem, was a proprietary library located in Salem, Massachusetts. Established in 1760, it was one of the earliest lending libraries in the American colonies.

History

In 1760, twenty-eight individuals collectively subscribed 165 guineas to fund the creation of the library. The group commissioned Jeremy Condy, a Boston minister, to purchase books in London. The library officially opened on May 20, 1761, in a brick schoolhouse, with an initial collection of 415 volumes. This collection included both purchased books and additional volumes donated by library members.

Social Library in Salem was a proprietary library in Salem, Massachusetts. "Twenty-eight gentlemen ... subscribed 165 guineas. ... A Boston minister, [Jeremy Condy],^[1] was employed to buy the books in London and the library opened in a brick schoolhouse May 20, 1761, with 415 volumes including gifts given by members. The revolution was a bitter blow to many of the gentlemen who had founded the library. Many of the proprietors fled to England. ... In 1784 the library made a new start in new quarters in the new ... schoolhouse. Here they remained about 15 years, the schoolmaster acting as librarian."^[2] "In 1797 they became incorporated;"^[2] Edward Augustus Holyoke, Jacob Ashton, Joseph Hiller, and Edward Pulling served as signatories.^[3] "There were over 40 proprietors when in 1810 the library was turned over to the [Salem] Athenaeum."^[2][4]

Subscribers

• Samuel Barnard^[5]
• Thomas Barnard^[5]
• Samuel Barton Jr.^[5]
• Joseph Blaney^[5]
• Joseph Bowditch^[5]
• William Browne^[5]
• Francis Cabot^[5]
• Joseph Cabot^[5]
• S. Curwen^[5]
• Richard Derby^[5]
• William Eppes^[5]
• Samuel Gardner^[5]
• Samuel Gardner Jr.^[5]
• Stephen Higginson^[5]
• E.A. Holyoke^[5]
• William Jeffry^[5]
• Daniel King^[5]
• John Nutting Jr.^[5]
• A. Oliver Jr.^[5]
• Timothy Orne^[5]
• Benjamin Pickman^[5]
• Benjamin Pickman Jr.^[5]
• Ebenezer Putnam^[5]
• William Pynchon^[5]
• Nathaniel Ropes^[5]
• William Vans^[5]
• W. Walter^[5]

See also

• Salem Athenaeum, successor to the Social Library of Salem