Medfield Social Library

The Medfield Social Library (est.1786) was a proprietary library in Medfield, Massachusetts.^[1] It incorporated in 1809. By 1816 it consisted of some 700 volumes,^[2] among them The Panoplist, Mary Pilkington's Mirror for Females,^[3] Susanna Rowson's Invisible Rambler, Claude-Étienne Savary's Letters on Egypt, Scott's Lessons in Reading,^[4] and George Staunton's Embassy to China.^[5][6] Librarians included "Dr. Prentiss." As of the 1880s "a remnant" of the library was reportedly "stored at the town farm."^[7]

References

1. ^ For context, see: List of libraries in 18th century Massachusetts
2. ^ Medfield Library [catalog]. 1816
3. ^ An example of Pilkington's Mirror (but not necessarily the version in the Medfield Social Library): Pilkington (Mary) (1804), A Mirror for the Female Sex: Historical Beauties for Young Ladies, Intended to Lead the Female .. (3rd. ed.), London: Printed by J. Wright , for Vernor and Hood, OCLC 77989450, http://openlibrary.org/books/OL20475518M/A_Mirror_for_the_Female_Sex_Historical_Beauties_for_Young_Ladies_Intended_to_Lead_the_Female_... 
4. ^ WorldCat. William Scott 1750-1804
5. ^ Medfield Library. Catalogue of books. 1810
6. ^ Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts v.9 (1899)
7. ^ William S. Tilden, ed. (1887), History of the town of Medfield, Massachusetts, Boston: G. H. Ellis, http://openlibrary.org/books/OL16305049M/History_of_the_town_of_Medfield_Massachusetts. 

Further reading

• A catalogue of books in the circulating library in Medfield, with the names of the proprietors of said library. Medfield, Mass.: 1791.
• A catalogue of books, together with the Constitution of the incorporated Library Society in Medfield, and the names of the proprietors by Library Society in Medfield. Dedham, Mass.: Printed by Herman Mann, 1810.
• Medfield Library [catalog]. Dedham, Mass.: Printed at the Dedham Gazette office, 1816.