ALB1876: American Libraries Before 1876

This powerful database contains records of 9,889 libraries, including over 83 types of library. Historically significant, it is available to the general public and is easy to use being keyword‐searchable and interactive. An interesting feature is that users can browse the images of the original data/punch cards. Users can also contribute to the database by recording pertinent comments. The database began as boxes full of punched cards that were compiled by Haynes McMullen, a professor emeritus of library science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Library historians will derive the most benefit from this extraordinary tool created by...