From the founding of the first public libraries in the United States to the modern digital age, this comprehensive history of American libraries is an essential resource for librarians, historians, and anyone interested in the role of libraries in society. Combining extensive research with first-hand accounts from prominent librarians and scholars, this book is a fascinating exploration of the evolution of library science in America. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.