. Historical encyclopedia of Illinois. f the 214 libraries reporting 1,000 volumesand over, 88 are free, 28 are reference, and 158are both circulating and reference. The free public libraries in the State containing3,000 volumes and over, in 1896, amounted to following list includes those of this class con-taining 10,000 volumes and over: Chicago, Public Library . (1896) Peoria, 57,604 Springfield, Rockford, Quincy, and Reading Room Galesburg 18,41)9 Elgin, Gail Borden Public Library . 17,000 Bloomington, Withers ... , Free ... 1,5,515 Decatu

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. Historical encyclopedia of Illinois. f the 214 libraries reporting 1,000 volumesand over, 88 are free, 28 are reference, and 158are both circulating and reference. The free public libraries in the State containing3,000 volumes and over, in 1896, amounted to following list includes those of this class con-taining 10,000 volumes and over: Chicago, Public Library . (1896) Peoria, 57,604 Springfield, Rockford, Quincy, and Reading Room Galesburg 18,41)9 Elgin, Gail Borden Public Library . 17,000 Bloomington, Withers ... , Free ... 1,5,515 Decatur, . . Belleville, ... 14,511 Aurora. ... 14,350 Rock Island, ... 12,634 Joliet, ... 23,325 The John Crerar Library (a scientific referencelibrary)—established in the Citj of Chicago in1894, on the basis of a bequest of the late JolinCrerar, estimated as amounting to fully §3,000,-000—is rapidly adding to its resources, having,in the four years of its history, acquired over40,000 volumes. With its princely

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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidhistoricalen, bookyear1904