Australian Subscription Library

Australian Subscription Library

Australian Library and Literary Institution, 1868, watercolour by E. Hawley, State Library of New South Wales
Established	1826
Dissolved	1869

The Australian Subscription Library was the first library to exist outside of private collections in Australia. Started in 1826 as the 'Sydney Australian Subscription Library and Reading Room' it shortened its name to the 'Australian Subscription Library' in 1834, and then in 1853 changed its name to the 'Australian Library and Literary Institute’. It's assets were brought by the New South Wales Government in 1869, and it became the 'Free Public Library. As the collections and services provided by the 'Free Public Library' expanded it became the State Library of New South Wales, which includes the Mitchell and Dixon library collections.

On 13 March 1826, an elite group of gentlemen rendezvoused at Sydney Hotel to set up the 'Sydney Australian Subscription Library and Reading Room'. Agreeing to abide by a strict set of rules for loaning, reading and purchase of books they also paid a £5 admission fee and £2 per year for a continued membership. The Library's first reading room was opened at No. 1, Terry's Buildings in Pitt Street, Sydney in December 1827.

In 1831 Governor Darling, gifted the Library the two building allotments located in Hyde Park for and two allotments in the area of Rushcutters Bay to be sold for funding the library's development. The Library moved to the Old Post Office on George Street in December, 1831.

On 29 July 1834, an Act was passed which allowed the library to own land and sell shares and changed its name to the “Australian Subscription Library.” Around this time there were offers to erect a permanent building for the Library at the government's expense but this was turned down as the members forewent their claim to the site of building allotment. Ironically Governor Bourke's preferred location was close to where the library would later be buili, as it was in the Government Domain,

in that part of the prolongation of Bent Street, intervening between the site of the old windmill, at the end of Macquarie Street, and the Botanical Gardens.

In May 1836, while expressing its unhappiness about the location of their new building, they were forced to move to upper floor Chief Justice Forbes' residence, at Bridge and Gresham streets. In May 1840 they sold the allotments in Hyde Park and Rushcutters Bay to raise money to start work on a new building at Bent and Macquarie Streets. Commenced in 1843 it was finally completed in November 1845. And became the first permanent building specifically designed to house the collections.

The ownership of land and new building also brought on the decision to make a major change to its management structure. On 7 October, 1853, the library passed an Act of Incorporation and renamed itself the ‘Australian Library and Literary Institute’, in effect making it a public company with 1000 shares set at 25 pounds each. According to long-term member George Miller, this was done to imitate similar institutions in England and create a body of shareholders,