The Portico Library, Subscription library in Manchester, England
The Portico Library is a subscription library housed in a substantial sandstone structure on Mosley Street, built in the Greek Revival style with prominent columns. The building functions as both a lending library and cultural venue displaying exhibitions related to its rare books and historical collections.
The library was established in 1806 by Manchester merchants responding to the city's intellectual needs during industrialization. It initially served as a reading room for newspapers and literary works, providing business professionals with access to current information and literature.
The library maintains a collection of 25,000 books spanning 450 years of literature, with particular emphasis on travel writings about East Asia and regional folklore.
The entrance is located on Charlotte Street with free access available five days weekly for viewing exhibitions and historical materials. The library occupies the first floor and welcomes visitors to browse its spaces and learn about its collections during open hours.
Peter Mark Roget, the library's first secretary, compiled his famous thesaurus while working in this building. The reference work he created here became one of the most consulted books for finding the right word.
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