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London Circulating Library Catalogues of the 1740s

London Circulating Library Catalogues of the 1740s London Circulating Library candoguesofthe1740s This article is intended as thefirst in an occasional series in which the editor witrdraw attention to little known library catalogues. THE HISTORY OF l.ending libraries in London in the 1740s has been dominated by'the name of Samuel Fancourt. He used to be described as the first person to have established a circulating library in London. This is only true in that he may have been the first person to have organized a circulating library for profit which was unconnected with a bookselling or printing business; booksellers were lending books from at least the Restoration. Fancourt's -London library was set up in 1742, but his enterprize was narrowly preceded by a number of others. Fancourt's fame and more particularly the survival of his 1748 catalogue (the only known London circulating library catalogue of the decade) have obscured the libraries conducted by his rivals. But other library catalogues from the 1740s have now been identified, and Fancourt's contribution to library history can no longer be regarded in isolation. The Noble brothers, Francis and John, opened their bookshop in 1737 under the sign of Otway's Head in St. Martin's Court, St. Martin's Lane, Westminster. When they opened http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Library History Edinburgh University Press

London Circulating Library Catalogues of the 1740s

Library History , Volume 8 (3): 6 – Jan 1, 1989

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Publisher
Edinburgh University Press
Copyright
Copyright © Edinburgh University Press
ISSN
0024-2306
DOI
10.1179/lib.1989.8.3.74
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

London Circulating Library candoguesofthe1740s This article is intended as thefirst in an occasional series in which the editor witrdraw attention to little known library catalogues. THE HISTORY OF l.ending libraries in London in the 1740s has been dominated by'the name of Samuel Fancourt. He used to be described as the first person to have established a circulating library in London. This is only true in that he may have been the first person to have organized a circulating library for profit which was unconnected with a bookselling or printing business; booksellers were lending books from at least the Restoration. Fancourt's -London library was set up in 1742, but his enterprize was narrowly preceded by a number of others. Fancourt's fame and more particularly the survival of his 1748 catalogue (the only known London circulating library catalogue of the decade) have obscured the libraries conducted by his rivals. But other library catalogues from the 1740s have now been identified, and Fancourt's contribution to library history can no longer be regarded in isolation. The Noble brothers, Francis and John, opened their bookshop in 1737 under the sign of Otway's Head in St. Martin's Court, St. Martin's Lane, Westminster. When they opened

Journal

Library HistoryEdinburgh University Press

Published: Jan 1, 1989

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