An advertisement from the Post Office Glasgow directory of 1847-1848 for George Watson's Public Library and Reading-Room in North Albion Street. In the days before the establishment of a chain of municipal public libraries in Glasgow, subscription libraries such as this one enabled Glaswegians to obtain books and other reading matter (and to look at them in the comfortable surroundings of a conveniently-located city centre reading room) for relatively low fees.
Reference: Mitchell Library, DIR 1847-48
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
advertisements, directories, libraries, Post Office Glasgow directory, public libraries, reading rooms, subscription libraries