The Petition of the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia and of the Trustees of the Loganian Library Respectfully Sheweth That annual importations of Books are necessary for the use of the respective institutions committed to their care which by the present revenue Laws of the United States are subject to the same Duties as those imported for sale. That whatever promotes the...
2Library Company to John Penn and Reply, [31 May 1735] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , June 5, 1735; also MS Minute Book, Library Company of Philadelphia. The Directors of the Library Company on October 14, 1734, named Franklin and William Coleman to draft an address to John Penn, recently arrived from England. Coleman prepared it, and submitted it to the Directors on October 21, but consideration was postponed until the spring of 1735, when...
3Library Company: Acceptance of the Charter, 3 May 1742 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Haverford College Library The increasing property of the Library Company suggested that the time had come to incorporate it. On June 21, 1739, Rev. Richard Peters informed the Directors that the Proprietor was willing to grant a charter, and he proposed to have one drafted for their perusal. “This Discourse of Mr. Peters’s was very pleasing to the Directors present,” the minutes noted....
4Library Company to Thomas Penn, 29 July 1747 (Franklin Papers)
MS Minutes: Library Company of Philadelphia Franklin informed the Library Company Directors on July 13, 1747, that he had received a letter from the Proprietor Thomas Penn, “with a compleat Electrical Apparatus” as a gift to the Library. John Sober, William Coleman, and Franklin were appointed to acknowledge it. A copy of their letter was spread on the Library Company’s minutes of September...
5Library Company of Philadelphia: Rules for the Librarian, [12 December 1763] (Franklin Papers)
MS Minute Book, Library Company of Philadelphia; also printed in The Charter, Laws, and Catalogue of Books, of the Library Company of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, 1764), pp. 19–21. On Nov. 14, 1763, the directors of the Library Company appointed a committee consisting of Franklin, Francis Alison, Samuel Rhoads, and Charles Thomson to prepare a set of rules for the conduct of the librarian. The...
6To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 25 January 1771 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society We are appointed by the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, to inform you that your Favour of the 7th July 1769 was received and laid before them by Mr. Charles Thomson, but the Confusion, which necessarily arose from the Union of the several Libraries, gave them so much Employ as to put it out of their Power to answer your Letter, so soon as...
7To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 27 April 1772 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia By order of the Directors of the Library Co. of Philada. we have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your polite and friendly Letter of the 16th April 1771, and beg you to accept our Thanks for the good wishes therein expressed towards this institution as well as for the Services you have at many times...
8To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 28 May 1772: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia <Philadelphia, May 28, 1772: They enclose a draft on John Whitmore for £125 from Stocker & Wharton & John Wilcocks at thirty days’ sight, dated May 26 in favor of and endorsed by Josiah Hewes, to pay for the books ordered through Sparks for the Library Company. If the amount is insufficient, they will...
9To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 28 December 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia In Behalf of the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, we acknowledge the receipt of your sundry favours, particularly of the 22d August 1772 with the Books by Falconer; for observations upon which you will please to be referr’d to the last Page of the Inclosed. Mr. Bache has likewise delivered Hawkesworth’s Voyages, McPherson’s...
10To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, [16 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia We are directed to acknowledge the receipt of your favors of the 7 April and 25 July with the Books sent for the Use of our Company, which fresh Instance, of your constant kind Concern for Us is very obliging; but we must just observe, that the prices of those last sent, are not mentioned. Inclosed, you have Barclay & Mitchell’s Draught at sixty...