Commercial circulating libraries
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Commercial circulating libraries originally developed from the lending services of booksellers. William Bathoe claimed that his commercial venture was ‘the Original Circulating library’, opening doors at two locations in London 1737.
"Because circulating libraries usually developed from a specific shop or were founded from the outset at a particular commercial address, the association of place proved particularly important in the reception and reputation of such libraries".
However, in an edition of "Tom Tyler and his Wife" in 1661 the publisher and bookseller Francis Kirkman included a catalogue of 690 plays which he claimed to be ready to lend "upon reasonable considerations" from his premises in Westminster.
In Britain there were more than 200 commercial circulating libraries open in 1800, more than twice the number of subscription and private proprietary libraries that were operating at the same time. Many proprietors pandered to the most fashionable clientele, making much ado about the sort of shop they offered, the lush interiors, plenty of room and long hours of service.