Special Libraries.- The development of the special library in the United States has as sumed two phases which might be termed the early and the recent. The former comprehends the establishment and expansion of types of libraries already differentiated in Europe, such as theological, legal, medical, historical and, to a lesser degree, pedagogical and associational libraries. The second group is the result of the development of science during the 19th cen tury, and of recent economic and social move ments.
Theological The earliest of these were the theological libraries, the ma, jority of which were developed in connection with institutions of learning. Indeed, some of the college libraries of the 18th century con sisted mainly of theological literature. As the secular aspects of the institutions became more and more emphasized, the theological elements tended to become segregated, forming depart ments of the school, rather than permeations of the whole. The libraries followed this tend ency hence we find the development of the splendid theological collections at Harvard, Princeton and other universities. The Harvard, now the Andover-Harvard Theological Library, numbers 109,321 volumes and the Princeton Theological Seminary Library 103,427 volumes. One of the few institutions whose library has remained true to the earlier type is the George town University. Its collections consist to a large extent of Catholic theologic literature and number about 106,000 volumes. In addition to these university collections, the foundation of sectarian seminaries during the first half of the 19th century has resulted in the upbuilding of some very excellent special libraries of theology, such as the Union Theological Seminary (1835; 130,018 vols.) ; the Drew Theological Seminary (Methodist, 1867; 128,054 vols.) ; the Hartford Theological Seminary (1834; 109,620 vols.) and the General Theological Seminary (1817; 59, 691 vols.).
Law early type of special libraries is the law library. These were first developed, as was the case of the theolog ical libraries, in connection with colleges, the Harvard Law Library, housed in a splendid building of its own, still remaining one of the largest collections in America (172,073 vol umes). Other colleges with special law li braries are Columbia (59,262 vols.), University of Chicago (40,236 vols.), Yale (40,127 vols.), Northwestern (45,000), New York University (25,791 vols.), University of Pennsylvania (57, 152 vols.). Legal literature is predominant in the collections of State libraries, but as many of these have developed into general libraries, a number of States have developed in addition special legal libraries, among them being the Indiana State Law Library (55,000 vols.), Min
nesota State Law Library (79,662 vols.), New York State Law Library (69,000 vols.), the Ohio Supreme Court Library (36,000 vols.). A few of the State libraries, such as the Massa chusetts (192,015 vols.), remain essentially law and documentary libraries. In addition to these, bar associations and legal societies have organ ized and developed law collections, some of them of first importance such as that of the New York Association of the Bar (114.437 vols.), Philadelphia Law Association (62,858 vols.), Chicago Law Institute (67,072 vols.), Social Law Library, Boston (65,000 vols.), Bar Association of San Franciso (35,000 vols.), San. Francisco Law Library (28,000 vols.), New York Law Institute (81,209 vols.).
Medical literature of a science so progressive as that of medicine and its allied subjects loses its value after a very limited period, hence many of the books have little save historical interest. For this reason only a few institutions undertake to obtain and care for the great mass of medical lore of the past. This has been left to institutions with the necessary funds and facilities for its preserva tion. One library in particular in the United States has essayed to play this part with dis tinguished success - the Library of the Sur geon-General's office of the United States Army. Under direction of Dr. John S. Billings, the largest collection of medical literature in America has been gathered, classified and a catalogue issued that is a monument of biblio graphic research. The library now numbers 190,310 bound volumes and 328,036 pamphlets. The majority of the medical libraries are con nected with the medical departments of univer sities or of independent medical schools, the largest being that of the library of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Philadelphia, with collections numbering 107,782 volumes. The Harvard Medical School has collections num bering 27,000 volumes, and Columbia with 28, 960 volumes. Medical societies have also de veloped excellent libraries, among them being the Medical Society, County of Kings, Brook lyn, with collections numbering 70,000 volumes; New York Academy of Medicine, 101,593; Rhode Island Medical Society, 25,000; Boston Medical Library, 85,963.