Alexandria Library: The most famous library of antiquity was Alexandria, believed to have been founded by Ptolemy I Soter (Ptolemios) who reigned until 248BC. It was originally conceived not as a library, but as a research centre, similar to Aristotle’s library in Athens, which was to hold the collected knowledge of the world. It was the first systematic and serious collection of documentation on physics, literature, mathematics, medicine, astrology, biology and engineering.
Boston Public Library: Founded in the mid-19th century, the Boston Public Library (BPL) is associated with the emergence of education for the working class. It is, today, both a research library and headquarters for Boston Public Library’s 26 branch libraries.
Bodleian Library (Oxford): The Bodleian Library in the University of Oxford is one of the oldest and largest libraries in Europe. Its origins date back to 1602 and even earlier, based on archaeological evidence. It is the main research library of the University of Oxford.
British Library: Founded in 1753, the British Library was based on the collections of Sir Hans Sloane, physician to King George II and president of the Royal Society; the collections of Sir Robert Cotton and of Edward and Robert Harley, earls of Oxford; and the Royal Library, donated by George II in 1757. Many private collections, including the libraries of King George III (1823) and of Thomas Grenville (1846) continued to expand the collection.
Celsus Library at Ephesus: Construction began on the Celsus Library in Ephesus in 110AD by the Council Gaius Julius Aquila. The library was completed by Gaius’ successors in 135AD. It was one of the largest library collections of antiquity, having 12,000 hand-written books. It was destroyed by fire in approximately the 3rd century AD.
Folger Shakespeare Library: Henry Clay Folger, an oil company executive, bequeathed his remarkable Shakespeare collection to the American people and provided sufficient funds to house, maintain and expand the collection. It is a well-know research centre in Washington, D.C., for Shakespearean and Elizabeth studies and 16th- and 17th-century literature, and history.
Library of Congress: The US Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. was founded in 1800 but to replace books lost by fire during the war of 1812, Thomas Jefferson’s library was purchased by Congress.
National Library of Canada: Established by the Canadian parliament in 1953, the National Library of Canada is located in Ottawa, Ontario. The library offers reference service for a wide variety of enquiries. A location service assists other libraries trying to locate items not in their own holdings.
New York Public Library: One of the visibly identifiable libraries of the world, the New York Public Library has 83 branch libraries augmented by bookmobiles and contains more than 10,000,000 books. Apart from a research function, NYPL has substantial special collections including rare books and manuscripts from the 15th to the 20th century and the papers of American authors in the Manuscripts and Archives Division. Courtesy: www.lib.sk.ca/aboutlibraries/famous.html
