List of libraries in 19th-century Philadelphia

The following is a list of libraries located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, active in the 19th century. Included are public libraries, academic libraries, medical libraries, church libraries, government libraries, circulating libraries, and subscription libraries.




 * A
 * Academy of Natural Sciences
 * Agnes Irwin's School
 * Almshouse library
 * American Baptist Historical Society
 * American Baptist Publication Society
 * American Catholic Historical Society
 * American Entomological Society
 * American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia Chapter
 * American Philosophical Society (est. 1743).
 * American Sunday-School Union
 * Apprentices' Library Company
 * Athenaeum of Philadelphia


 * B
 * Baptist Historical Society
 * George E. Blake's circulating library
 * Board of Missions of Presbyterian Church
 * Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies
 * Broad Street Academy Library
 * Brotherhead's Circulating Library
 * Burd Orphan Asylum
 * Byberry Library


 * C
 * Carpenters' Company
 * Catholic Philopatrian Society
 * Central High School
 * Chalk's Circulating Library, North Third St.
 * Challen's Circulating Library
 * Chase's Circulating Library
 * Chestnut Hill Free Library
 * Chestnut St. Female Seminary
 * Christ Church Hospital
 * Christ Church Library
 * Christian Hall Library Company
 * Church of the Holy Apostle, Sunday School Library
 * College Avenue Anat. School
 * College of Physicians of Philadelphia
 * College of St. Thomas of Villa Nova
 * Colored Reading Society
 * Controllers of Public Schools Library
 * Edward Corfield's circulating library


 * D
 * Disston Library
 * Drexel Institute Library (est.1891)


 * E
 * Eastburn Academy Library
 * Eastern State Penitentiary
 * Eclectic Medical College
 * Edwin Forrest Home
 * Engineers Club
 * Episcopal Library and Reading Room


 * F
 * Female Medical College
 * Florence Lit. Inst. and Library
 * Franklin Institute
 * Franklin Library Association
 * Free Circulating Library for the Blind
 * Free Library of Philadelphia (est.1891, opened 1894). Main branch located in City Hall (1894), then in Concert Hall (1895–1910)
 * College Settlement branch
 * Evening Home branch
 * West Philadelphia branch
 * Free Reading-Room Association of Spring Garden
 * Friends' Asylum for the Insane
 * Friends' Library
 * Friends' Observatory


 * G
 * George Institute
 * German Society of Pennsylvania
 * Germantown Library
 * Girard College
 * Paul Girard's French Circulating Library
 * Girl's Normal School Library
 * Grand Army Republic, Post No.2
 * Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania F.A.A.M.
 * D. Guillemet's French Circulating Library


 * H
 * Hahnemann Medical College
 * Harwood's Circulating Library
 * Hebrew Literature Society
 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * Home Teaching and Free Circulating Library for the Blind
 * Homoeopathic Medical College
 * House of Refuge
 * Hirst Free Law Library


 * I
 * Institute for Colored Youth
 * Institution for the Blind
 * Institution for Deaf and Dumb
 * Irish Library of the Cathedral


 * J
 * James Page Library Company
 * Jefferson Medical College


 * K
 * Kensington Literary Institute (est.1853)


 * L
 * La Salle College
 * Law Association of Philadelphia
 * Leopold's Circulating Library
 * Library and Reading Room Association of 23rd Ward (est.1857)
 * Library Association of Friends
 * Library Company of Colored Persons
 * Library Company of Philadelphia (est. 1731), also called the Philadelphia Library
 * Ridgway Branch
 * Library of Foreign Classical Literature and Science
 * Library of the Four Monthly Meetings of Friends
 * Lovett Memorial Free Library


 * M
 * Mantua Academy
 * Mariners' Church Library for Seamen
 * Sarah McDonald's circulating library, S. 11th St.
 * Mechanics' Institute of Southwark
 * Medical Institute of Philadelphia
 * Medico-Chirurgical College
 * Memorial Free Library (Mount Airy)
 * Mercantile Library Company
 * Ann Miller's circulating library
 * Moyamensing Literary Institute (est.1852)
 * Mutual Library Co.


 * N
 * New Church Book Association
 * North Broad Street Select School
 * Northern Dispensary of Philadelphia
 * Northern Home
 * Northern Liberties Franklin Library
 * Northern Liberties Library and Reading Room Co. (est.1830)
 * Numismatic and Antiquarian Society


 * O
 * Odd Fellows' Library


 * P
 * Page Library
 * Peirce College of Business
 * Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
 * Pennsylvania College, Medical Dept.
 * Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery
 * Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
 * Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library
 * Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane
 * Pennsylvania Institution for Deaf and Dumb
 * Pennsylvania Seamen's Friend Society
 * Philadelphia Board of Trade
 * Philadelphia City Institute
 * The Philadelphia Club Library
 * Philadelphia College of Dental Surgery
 * Philadelphia College of Medicine
 * Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
 * Philadelphia County Prison
 * Philadelphia Divinity School
 * Philadelphia Hospital Library
 * Philadelphia Library Association of Colored Brethren
 * Philadelphia Maritime Exchange
 * Philadelphia Museum library
 * Philadelphia Public Library (est.1892), administered by the city Board of Education. Also called City Library
 * Branch no.1: Montgomery Ave. and 17th St.
 * Branch no.2: Broad and Federal St.
 * Branch no.3: Frankfort Ave.
 * Branch no.4: Roxboro
 * Branch no.5: West Philadelphia Institute, 40th St.
 * Branch no.6: Main St. and Chelten Ave., Germantown
 * Philadelphia School of Anatomy
 * Philadelphia Seminary
 * Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture
 * Philadelphia Turngemeinde
 * Philips' Circulating Library, Third St.
 * John Phillips' circulating library, South Fourth St.
 * Polytechnic College
 * Mrs. S. Potts' circulating library, Walnut St.
 * Presbyterian Board of Publication
 * Presbyterian Historical Society
 * Presbyterian Home for Widows and Single Women
 * Public Library for People of Color


 * R
 * Roxborough Lyceum


 * S
 * St. Joseph's College
 * St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute
 * Seamen's and Landsmen's Aid Society
 * Shallus's Circulating Library
 * Social Art Club
 * Society of Students' library
 * Southwark Library Company (est.1822)
 * Spring Garden Institute (est.1835)


 * T
 * Teachers' Institute of Philadelphia
 * Theological Seminary (Mount Airy)
 * Theological Seminary Reformed Presbyterian Church
 * Theological Seminary St. Charles of Boromeo
 * Three Monthly Meetings of Friends


 * U
 * Union Circulating Library
 * Union League Library
 * United States Mint
 * United States Naval Home
 * United States Navy Yard
 * Universal Peace Union
 * University of Pennsylvania
 * Furness Library
 * Law Department
 * Medical Department


 * W
 * Wagner Free Institute of Science
 * Walnut St. Female Seminary
 * West Philadelphia Institute
 * Western Library Association of Philadelphia (est.1854)
 * Wills Hospital
 * Wilson's Circulating Library, South 11th St.
 * Wistar Medical College
 * Women's Christian Association
 * Women's Hospital


 * Y
 * YMCA Philadelphia
 * Young Men's Institute