The Membership Libraries Group is an organization of non-profit membership libraries in the U.S., formed in 1991.
Membership libraries are rare in the United States today. Although numerous in the 18th and 19th centuries, they declined after the American Civil War, when the free public library as we know it today developed.
A handful — as few as 16 and as many as 24, depending on classification — are known today and continue to thrive. Most are in older cities, where they may preserve architecturally significant buildings and hold special collections of rare books, prints, maps, photographs, and manuscripts of interest to scholars.
In April 1991, a support group for membership libraries was formed in New York, hosted by the Mercantile Library and its director, Harold Augenbraum. The twelve libraries in attendance chose the name Membership Libraries Group.
It was decided that the Membership Libraries Group (MLG) would meet annually in the fall, at a different member institution each year. Attendees at the meetings would exchange ideas and discuss issues especially pertinent to membership libraries. The twelve institutions in attendance, and their respective directors, were declared the Founding Members of the MLG. They were:
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, La Jolla, CA, Erika Torri, Executive Director and Librarian
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, Dr. Sandra Tatman, Executive Director
The Boston Athenaeum, Boston, MA, Elizabeth E. Barker, Ph.D., Director
The General Society Library, New York, NY, Marjorie Peters, Librarian
The Mechanics Institute Library, San Francisco, CA, Ralph Lewin, Library Director
The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, Jean Springer, Director
The Center for Fiction (formerly known as The Mercantile Library) of New York City, New York, NY, Harold Augenbraum, Director
The New York Society Library, New York, NY, Mark Piel, Librarian
The Portsmouth Athenaeum, Portsmouth, NH, Jane Porter, Keeper
The Providence Athenaeum, Providence, RI, Michael Gerhardt, Interim Executive Director
The Redwood Library and Athenaeum, Newport, RI, Benedict Leca, Ph.D, Executive Director
The St. Louis Mercantile Library Association, St. Louis, MO, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Executive Director
Other members were later added (see below). To be an active and voting Member, an institution must be financially self-supporting, can not be part of a larger organization, and must provide a circulating library to its members. Some libraries fill some, but not all, of these criteria; they may be accepted as Associate Members.
Today there are 16 full voting Members of the MLG and 5 Associate Members. Each one has celebrated more than 100 years in existence, with four having survived for 250 years or more. Since the founding meeting, MLG conferences have been held in the following locations:
1991: Boston, MA
1992: Philadelphia, PA
1993: Cincinnati, OH
1994: La Jolla, CA
1995: Charleston, SC
1996: St. Louis, MO
1997: New York, NY, The New York Society Library
1998: Newport, RI
1999: San Francisco, CA
2000: Portsmouth, NH
2001: Tryon, NC
2002: Boston, MA
2003: New York, NY, The Mercantile Library
2004: Philadelphia, PA
2005: St. Johnsbury, VT
2006: Salem, MA
2007: La Jolla, CA
2008: Newport, RI
2009: Charleston, SC
2010: Cincinnati, OH
2014: Philadelphia, PA
2015: La Jolla, CA
2016: San Francisco, CA
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library founded 1899
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia founded 1814
The Boston Athenaeum founded 1807
The Charleston Library Society founded 1748
The Institute Library founded 1826
The Lanier Library founded 1890
The Maine Charitable Mechanics Association Library founded 1815
The Mechanics' Institute Library, San Francisco founded 1855
The Mercantile Library, Cincinnati founded 1835
The Mercantile Library Center for Fiction founded 1820
The New York Society Library founded 1754
The Portsmouth Athenaeum founded 1817
The Providence Athenaeum founded 1836
Redwood Library & Athenaeum founded 1747
The Salem Athenaeum founded 1810
Timrod Literary and Library Association founded 1897
Associate Members
The General Society Library founded 1820
The Library Company of Philadelphia founded 1731
The Minneapolis Athenaeum founded 1866
St. Johnsbury Athenaeum founded 1871
The St. Louis Mercantile Library Association founded 1846
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum, founded 2015
