English Book Donation
Dublin Core
Title
English Book Donation
Subject
Book donations -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Chicago (Ill.) -- History -- To 1875 -- Sources
Chicago (Ill.) -- Relations -- Great Britain -- History--19th century -- Sources
Great Britain -- Relations -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Public libraries -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Chicago (Ill.) -- History -- To 1875 -- Sources
Chicago (Ill.) -- Relations -- Great Britain -- History--19th century -- Sources
Great Britain -- Relations -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Public libraries -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Description
The English Book Donation consisted of 8,000+ books that were given to the people of Chicago in the aftermath of the 1871 fire. Prominent members of Parliament organized a book drive after hearing that the Chicago Lyceum (the closest thing to a public library that the city had at the time) and its collections were completely destroyed in the fire.
The organizers of the book donation envisioned it as the seed for a free public library. As a result, in addition to the need to find a place to put all of the books, the Chicago City Council agreed to start a new free public library in the center of the city in 1872. That building is now the Chicago Cultural Center.
Notable Donors:
Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens (author), Benjamin Disraeli (politician), John Stuart Mill (philosopher), Alfred Lord Tennyson (poet), Robert Browning (playwright), John Ruskin (artist, critic)
The organizers of the book donation envisioned it as the seed for a free public library. As a result, in addition to the need to find a place to put all of the books, the Chicago City Council agreed to start a new free public library in the center of the city in 1872. That building is now the Chicago Cultural Center.
Notable Donors:
Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens (author), Benjamin Disraeli (politician), John Stuart Mill (philosopher), Alfred Lord Tennyson (poet), Robert Browning (playwright), John Ruskin (artist, critic)
Creator
A.H. Burgess, Thomas Hughes (MP)
Source
Chicago Public Library History
Date
1871
Contributor
Ina Cox
Format
Books
Type
Book Collection
Coverage
Transatlantic
Files
Citation
A.H. Burgess, Thomas Hughes (MP), “English Book Donation,” Paris of the Midwest: Chicago, 1837-1987, accessed April 19, 2024, https://parisofthemidwest.omeka.net/items/show/140.