King Street Manchester Free Library Town Hall County Bank Public education reading material literature study students book books
The Manchester Free Library opened on 2 September 1852 in Manchester, England. It was the first to be set up up under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act 1850, which allowed local authorities to impose a local tax of one penny to pay for the service. The terms of the Act required that a poll of ratepayers had to be held before the local authority was allowed to spend money on public libraries, and at least two-thirds had to vote in favour. In Manchester's case only 40 of the more than 4000 eligible voters opposed. The project was the initiative of John Potter, the Mayor of Manchester, who started a fund to raise money for the purchase of books and a suitable building to house them. On its opening the library had a stock of 18,028 books, purchased at a cost of £4156. So busy was it during its first week that a police officer was assigned to control the crowd around the borrowing desk.
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