Library was opened in Colmore Row, in 1763, and at one time there was a second-class institution of the kind at a house up one of the courts in Dale End.—­A “New Library” was opened in Cannon Street, April 26, 1796, which was removed to Temple Row, in 1821, and afterwards united to the Old Library.  The latter was commenced in 1779, the first room for the convenience of members being opened in 1782, and the present building in Union Street, erected in 1798.  The report of the committee for the year 1882 showed that there were 772 proprietors, at 21s. per annum; 35 annual subscribers, at 31s. 6d. per annum; 528 at 2ls.; 6 quarterly, at 9s. per quarter; 53 at 6s. per quarter; 17 resident members of subscribers’ families, at 10s. per annum; and 118 resident members of subscribers’ families (readers) at 5s.  The total number of members was 1,479; the year’s subscriptions being L1,594.  The price of shares has been raised from two to three guineas during the past year.  Receipts from shares, fines, &c., amounted to about L480, making the amount actually received in 1882, L2,012 6s.  The expenditure had been L1,818 19s. 9d., inclusive of L60 carried to the reserve fund, and L108 paid on account of the new catalogue; and there remained a balance of L198 6s. 1d. in hand.  L782 0s. 9d. had been expended on the purchase of 1,560 additional books, re-binding others, &c., making a total of about 50,000 volumes.  The library needs extension, but the shortness of the lease (thirty years only) and the high value of the adjoining land prevents any step being taken in that direction at present.  The Birmingham Law Society’s Library was founded in February, 1831, by Mr. Arthur Ryland, and has now nearly 6,000 volumes of law works, law reports (English, Scotch, and Irish), local and personal Acts, &c., &c.  The present home in Wellington Passage was opened August 2, 1876, being far more commodious than the old abode in Waterloo-street, the “library” itself being a room 35ft. long, 22ft. wide, and 20ft. high, with a gallery round it.  There are several extensive libraries connected with places of worship, such as the Church of the Saviour, Edward Street, Severn Street Schools, the Friends’ Meeting House, &c. and a number of valuable collections in the hands of some well-known connoisseurs, literati, and antiquarians, access to most of which may be obtained on proper introduction.

Libraries (The Free).—­The first attempt to found a Free Library in this town was the holding of a public meeting in April, 1852, under the provisions of the Museums and Libraries Act of 1850, which allowed of a 1/2d. rate being levied for the support of such institutions.  Whether the townsfolk were careless on the subject, or extra careful, and therefore, doubtful of the sufficiency of the 1/2d. rate to provide them, is not certain; but so little interest was shown in the matter that only 534 persons voted for the adoption of the Act, while 363 voted against it, and the question for the time was shelved,