The ATHENEUM, as incorporated at the January session of the General Assembly, 1836, owes its origin to a compromise between the members of the Providence Library, which was established in 1753, and of the Providence Athenæum, which was incorporated in 1831-these two companies having agreed to throw up their charters in favor of the new institution. In March, 1836, Nicholas Brown and the heirs of Thomas P. Ives, offered to give the Athenæum a lot of land on the corner of Benefit and College Streets, for the location of a building, $6,000 towards the erection of a building thereon, and 4,000 for the increase of the library, provided other individuals would subscribe $10,000 towards the building, and $4,000 more to the library, before the first of June following. These terms were promptly complied with by the citizens of Providence-and in the course of the following year an appropriate and substantial building of granite was erected at an expense of $19,000. In 1837 the Athenæum purchased 1680 volumes of the Providence Library, and 2400 of the Providence Athenæum, and at the date of the first Annual Report of the Directors, in Feb. 1837, the total number of volumes was 4162, with 293 proprietors. Since that date the Library has been increased by the purchase annually of about 1000 volumes of well selected works, until the present time, (Jan. 1849,) when the whole number exceeds 15,000. The present number of proprietors is 490. The price of a share is fifteen dollars, on which there is an annual assessment of five dollars. The annual sum for the purchase of books, salary of librarian, and incidental expenses, is about $3000.

Hammond Circulating Library,

8200

THE Redwood Library and Athenæum, owes its origin to a literary and philosophical society, which was established in Newport, in the year 1730, This society was composed of some of the most respectable men of the town of Newport, at that period one of the most remarkable in the Amer ican Colonies, for its wealth, learning and public spirit.

The formation of a library was, subsequently, considered by them as one of the most powerful means of accomplishing their original purpose," the promotion of knowledge and virtue." The system of debates was gradually laid aside, and the energies of the society were solely directed to the collection of valuable books.

In the accomplishment of this new object, a great impulse was given by Abraham Redwood, Esq., who, in 1747, placed at the disposal of the society £500 sterling. for the purchase of standard books in London. To give permanence and usefulness to his donation, Mr. Redwood enjoined on the society the duty of erecting an edifice, as a depository for such books as might be purchased. In pursuance of their object, a charter of incorporation was obtained in 1747, and the society, in honor of their_most liberal benefactor, assumed the name of the Redwood Library Company. For the erection of a library building, five thousand pounds were almost immediately subscribed by different citizens of the town.

The library building, which is a beautiful specimen of the Doric order, was commenced in 1748, and completed in 1750. The plan was furnished by Joseph Harrison, Esq., Assistant Architect of Blenheim House, England. Hammond's Circulating Library is one of the oldest libraries in the country, and containes many rare books.

School District No. 1,

PORTSMOUTH.

600

This was the first library established in the State as a part of the recent movement to improve the means of popular education. It owns its origen mainly to the liberal donation of $100, by Miss Sarah Gibbs, a resident in the District.

NORTH PROVIDENCE.

There are four small libraries in North Providence, viz.: at Allendale, in the School District on Smith's Hill, and in Districts Nos. 1 and 2 in the village of Pawtucket, having in the aggregate about one thousand volumes.

The library at Lonsdale was purchased by the Commissioner at an expense of about $550, which was paid by the Lonsdale Company. The books are loaned out to the inhabitants, old and young, of the village, at a small charge of one cent per vol. More than seventy dollars were realized the first year out of the circulation of the books.

The Library at Slatersville was purchased out of an appropriation of $500, made by Messrs. Slater, Lockwood, and Carter.

Pascoag Manton Library,

This library, and the libraries in Glocester, Foster, Cranston, Hopkinton, Richmond, Charlestown, Exeter, Little Compton, New Shoreham, Jamestown, and Barrington, owe their existence mainly to the liberality of Amasa Manton, Esq. of Providence. By an aggregate expenditure of about one thousand dollars, he has been instrumental in raising in these towns, double that amount, and has thus secured the establishment of ten libraries with at least five thousand good books. Who can estimate the blessings, individual and social, which will flow directly and indirectly from the dissemination of these books, and which will continue to flow yet more abundantly when the liberal donor has himself passed from the earth, and another generation has risen up to have access to these libraries.

GLOCESTER.

Glocester Manton Library,

Foster Manton Library,

FOSTER.

750

1000

The liberality of Mr. Manton in this town was made trebly effective through the exertions of Dr. Arnold.

WARWICK.

Old Warwick Association,

500

Ladies Association,

250

To the former association Gov. Francis contributed $100.

Bowens Hill Library,

400

400

The library first named was given to the District by subscribers, residents thereof. The Bowens Hill Library owes its origin to a liberal contribution from Mr. Tully Bowen, of Providence.

BARRINGTON.

District No. 1, through the liberality mainly of Mr. Lewis B. Smith and Henry Smith, has a very valuable library of about 500 volumes,-the best School District Library in the State.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN.

Besides a small library at Kingston, there is an Itinerating Library consisting of about 400 volumes, which are divided into four cases, each case containing about one hundred books, and these cases pass in succession through the several villages in the town.

CHARLESTOWN.

As the subscription to the library in this town is completed, although the money has not yet been expended, the number of volumes which will probably be purchased, is added. WESTERLY.

The Pawcatuck Library in Westerly is the best selected village Library in the State. Its history, organization, and catalogue, will be given in full, as affording useful hints to those who may wish to establish a similar library in other villages.

Most of the libraries recently established, are open to all persons, resident in the Town, who will pay one cent a week for the use of a volume, and comply with the regulations which may have been adopted for the preservation of the books.

SKETCH

OF

THE ORGANIZATION AND REGULATIONS

OF THE

PAWCATUCK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

Ar a meeting in Westerly, of the citizens of the village and vicinity, on the evening of December 7th, 1847, immediately after the closing exercises of a Teacher's Institute, Mr. Barnard, the School Commissioner of the State, who was present, and had addressed the assembly, was called to the Chair, a Secretary was appointed, and the subject of the establishment of a Public Library in the town was presented and debated. After a full consideration and discussion of the subject, the following Resolutions were adopted :

"Voted, that Messrs.

(7 in number) be a Committee (one from each of the religious societies in town,) to circulate subscription papers, and to collect money for establishing a Public Library.

Voted, that the stock of such Library be divided into shares, the price of which shall be two dollars each; no subscription to be binding until two hundred and fifty such shares have been taken.

Voted, that the Committee aforesaid be authorized to take such farther action in relation to the subject, as they may deem proper, excepting so far as they are bound by the above votes.'

This committee, having met together after the meeting, divided the village and neighborhood into seven districts, to each of which, by mutual agreement, one of their number was appointed. The following is the form of the subscription paper circulated by them:

"Whereas, the establishment of a Public Library in the village of Westerly, embracing books in the several departments of useful knowledge, and conducted under such regulations as shall secure the proper use and preservation of the books, and the increase of the same, will promote the social, intellectual, and moral improvement of this community :

And whereas, at a meeting of the citizens of Westerly, convened in the Union meeting-house in said village, on the evening of December 7th, inst., Messrs.

were appointed a committee by said meeting, on behalf of the citizens, to circulate a subscription, and collect moneys for such a Library:

Therefore, we, the subscribers, do hereby associate for the purpose of establishing and purchasing such a Library, and hereby take the number of shares therein, set against our respective names, at two dollars each; and do promise and agree, each with the others, to pay the amount thereof to the before-mentioned committee, and to any one of them, and also to abide by such regulations as shall be adopted by a majority of the subscribers: Provided, that in all meetings of the subscribers (until a constitution or articles of association be regularly adopted,)

every subscriber shall be entitled to one vote upon each share subscribed for by him; And provided, further, that this subscription shall be void, unless two hundred and fifty shares be subscribed for in good faith, on or before the first day of January next.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands, this eighth day of December, A.D. 1847.

Names.

No. of Shares.

Names.

No. of Shares.

At a meeting called by the Soliciting Committee, and held on the evening of the 27th day of the same month, said Committee reported that more than 300 shares had been subscribed for already, and the Committee was continued. It was, also,

"Voted, that a Committee of three be appointed to procure or draft a Constitution and By-Laws for the use of the subscribers, and present the same at their next meeting."

At a meeting held by adjournment on the evening of January 17th, 1848, the Committee appointed to draft a Constitution and By-Laws, reported; and the Constitution and By-Laws presented by them having been acted on article by article, were adopted. They are appended to this Sketch.

A Committee was also appointed to nominate such officers as were provided for in the Constitution just adopted, their report to be made at an adjourned meeting.

On the evening of January 24th, in the week following, the adjourned meeting was holden; the Committee of Nomination reported, and the regular constitutional officers were elected.

At the same meeting it was

"Voted, that the Secretary be requested to have the Constitution of the Association recorded in the Book of Land Evidence of this town, agreeably to an Act of the General Assembly, passed at their June Session, 1847.'

In the week following, the Constitution was recorded, as directed, in the Book of Land Evidence of Westerly, by the Town Clerk. The record bears date January 31st, 1848.

By these several steps the Association became fully organized and incorporated. A copy of the Law is appended to this Sketch, that the members of the Association may more conveniently consult it, and be informed of their legal rights and liabilities.

In the mean time, on December 27th, a Committee had been appointed "to procure a Catalogue of Books, which will cost about one thousand dollars, and present the same to the subscribers." The business of this Committee was very responsible, as the selection of the most suitable books for the use of the Association was to be made by them, as well as the arrangement of prices. Accordingly, they corresponded extensively