CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction. Assyrian Record-Rooms. Libraries in Greece, Alexandria,
Pergamon, Rome. Their size, use, contents, and fittings. Armaria or
presses. The Vatican Library of Sixtus V. a type of an ancient
Roman library 1

CHAPTER II.

Christian libraries connected with churches. Use of the apse. Monastic
communities. S. Pachomius. S. Benedict and his successors. Each
House had a library. Annual audit of books. Loan on security. Modes
of protection. Curses. Prayers for donors. Endowment of libraries.
Use of the cloister. Development of Cistercian book-room. Common
press. Carrells 61

CHAPTER III.

Increase of monastic collections. S. Riquier, Bobbio, Durham, Canterbury.
Books kept in other places than the cloister. Expedients for housing
them at Durham, Citeaux, and elsewhere. Separate libraries built in
fifteenth century at Durham, S. Albans, Citeaux, Clairvaux, etc.
Gradual extension of library at S. Germain des Pres. Libraries
attached to Cathedrals. Lincoln, Salisbury, Wells, Noyon, Rouen,
etc. 101

CHAPTER IV.

The fittings of monastic libraries and of collegiate libraries probably
identical. Analysis of some library-statutes. Monastic influence at
the Universities. Number of books owned by Colleges. The collegiate
library. Bishop Cobham's library at Oxford. Library at
Queens' College, Cambridge. At Zutphen. The lectern-system.
Chaining of books. Further examples and illustrations 131

CHAPTER V.

Recapitulation. Invention of the stall-system. Library of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford, taken as a type. System of chaining in Hereford
Cathedral. Libraries of Merton College, Oxford, and Clare College,
Cambridge. The stall-system copied at Westminster Abbey, Wells,
and Durham Cathedrals. This system possibly monastic. Libraries
at Canterbury, Dover Priory, Clairvaux 171

CHAPTER VI.

The lectern-system in Italy. Libraries at Cesena, at the Convent of
S. Mark, Florence, and at Monte Oliveto. Vatican Library of Sixtus IV.
Ducal Library at Urbino. Medicean Library, Florence. System of
chaining there used. Characteristics of medieval libraries 199

CHAPTER VII.