1700s

The library continued to be housed on the second floor of Harvard Hall. In 1723, the library contained 3,500 volumes. There were two library collections—one for “common use” and one for valuable and restricted books. These were referred to as the “smaller” and “great” libraries, respectively. Since later librarians suggested just such an arrangement, it seems likely that the division was not adequately clear.⁵

1719

An important early book donor was Thomas Hollis (1659-1731), whose brothers, nephew, and heirs would also be important donors to Harvard. In 1719, he sent his first gift of books.⁶

1721-1722

Joshua Gee, Librarian of Harvard, prepared a printed catalog of the library. It described the arrangement of books in numbered cases, each case with seven shelves, each book individually numbered.⁷

1725, June

In a letter, Thomas Hollis (1659-1731) expressed concern about the liberal borrowing policies of the Harvard Library: “Your library is reckond here to be ill managed, by the account I have of some that know it, you want seats to sitt and read, and chains to your valluable books like our Bodleian library, or Sion College in London, you know their methods, wch are approved, but do not imitate them, you let your books be taken at pleasure home to Men’s houses, and many are lost, your (boyish) Students take them to their chambers, and teare out pictures & maps to adorne their Walls, such things are not good; if you want roome for modern books, it is easy to remove the less usefull into a more remote place, but not to sell any, they are devoted.”⁸