The best library of archaeology is the Society of Antiquaries', Burlington House, 6o,000 vols., many mss. and early printed books. For natural sciences there are the libraries of the Royal Society (1667), in Burlington House, which contains over 1 oo,000 vols., mainly publications of scientific bodies (the celebrated Arundel bequest, dating from the society's infancy, has been dis persed), Geological Society (1807), 40,000 vols. and maps; the Linnean Society (1788), 50,00o vols. ; the Zoological Society (1829), about 36,00o vols. The Royal Society of Medicine (1907), incorporating a number of medical societies, 120,000 vols. ; the Royal College of Physicians 40,00o vols.; the British Medical Association, 20,000 vols. ; the Royal College of Surgeons (i800), 6o,000 vols. ; the Medical Society (1773), largely historical, 20,000 vols. ; the Chemical Society (1841), over 30,00o vols. Other important London society libraries are the Royal Geographical Society (1830), 8o,000 vols., and numerous maps, open to the public for reference; the Royal Colonial Insti tute (1868), 184,00o vols. of British colonial literature ; the Royal United Service institution, Whitehall (1831), 32,00o vols., belles lettres, politics and history. The Gladstone library (31,000 vols. and pamph.) of the National Liberal Club may be used occa sionally by non-members; the Garrick (a small dramatic collec tion), and the (Senior) United Service Club (Dugald Stewart's library) may be mentioned. Very few club libraries are super vised by trained librarians. Libraries are owned by the British and Foreign Bible Society (catalogue of Bibles. 1903-11), the Institution of Civil Engineers (53,00o vols.), the Institution of Electrical Engineers (2 5,00o vols.), the Royal Academy (10,50o valuable vols.), the Royal Institute of British Architects (23,000 vols.), and many others.
The library of the Writers to the Signet (1722), now contains about 150,000 vols., with early prints and other rare books, espe cially in British topography.
The library of the Royal Irish Academy at Dublin (1785, 50,000 vols. and over 2,000 Irish mss.), is partly supported by a Govern ment grant and is freely open.
Among subscription libraries, the London library (3oo,000) stands first in order of importance. It was founded in 1841 as a lending library for the use of scholars, largely at the instance of Carlyle. Author and subject catalogues have been printed, the latter of great value.
The first circulating library in Birmingham was opened in 1757, and was followed by Liverpool Lyceum (1758) and Warring ton's (176o), both merged in the museum, and by Leeds (1768).
Other proprietary libraries have been established at Leicester, Liverpool (Athenaeum, 1798), Manchester, Newcastle, Belfast (the Linen Hall library), Nottingham and elsewhere. In Scotland the first subscription library was started by Allan Ramsay, the poet, at Edinburgh in 1725. Commercial subscription libraries have increased greatly, Mudie's (1841), W. H. Smith's, and The Times Book Club being typical modern examples.
Many of the principal clubs possess libraries; that of the Athenaeum (London) is by far the most important. It now num
bers about 75,000 vols. of choice books. The pamphlets (of which also there is a complete printed catalogue), include those col lected by Gibbon and Mackintosh. Next comes the Reform club, with about 6o,000 vols.
Public Libraries.—The first act of parliament authorizing the establishment of public libraries in England was obtained by Wil liam Ewart, M.P., in 185o. In 1853 the act of 185o was extended to Ireland and Scotland.
The Public Libraries Amendment Act of 1919, besides estab lishing the county as a library unit, removed the rate-limit in England and Wales. The American library in 1928 was spending roughly four to five times as much per head as the average British library.
British Library Legislation.—The main points in British library legislation are as follows :—(a) The acts are permissive and not compulsory. (b) Municipal libraries are managed by committees appointed by the local authorities, who may delegate to them all their powers and duties. Glasgow has contracted them out by a special act. In Ireland, committees are appointed much as in England. (c) Power is given to provide libraries, museums, schools for science, art galleries and schools for art. (d) The regulation and management of public libraries are entrusted to the library authority, which may either be the local authority or a committee with a full or partial delegation of powers.
The London Government Act, 1899, by uniting various vestries or boards, extinguished about 23 library areas. The Metro politan County of London in 1928 comprised 27 library areas, or, counting also the City, 28.
From 1887 progress has been rapid. An immense stimulus was given from about 190o, when Andrew Carnegie (q.v.) began to present library buildings to towns in England as well as to Scot land and the United States. In 1926, 57 out of 62 counties, 81 out of 82 country boroughs, all metropolitan boroughs, 232 out of 249 municipal boroughs, 732 out of 792 urban districts, and 12,66o out of 12,841 are, by adoption or inclusion, library areas under the acts. But 49 urban areas, with a population of 58o,000, had then no library service, nor in 1925 had half the rural population of the country.
Building Developments and Equipment.—The Carnegie Trust, in 1917, ceased to make grants, and in 1925 decided to con sider no further applications. The total sum expended by the trust on public library buildings in 1914-26 was £295,600. In every case "open access" was adopted, and stress was laid upon accommoda tion for children. Good specimens may be seen at Manchester and Croydon. Great improvements were effected in design. Card cat alogue and subject-lists have almost entirely taken the place of printed catalogues. Library policy has, also, become far more liberal than it was before the World War. Of the greatest im portance to business men has been the establishment in great city libraries, since 1919, of commercial and technical departments, notably those of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glas gow.