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1597 T. Bodley Let. in Trecentale Bodleianum (1913) 24 Where there hath bin heretofore a publicke library in Oxford..I will take the charge and cost upon me, to reduce it again to his former use.

1614 in R. Willis & J. W. Clark Archit. Hist. Univ. Cambr. (1886) III. 35 There is an intention of erecting a new publique library in Cambridge in imitation of that of Oxford.

1674 J. Oxenbridge Will 12 Mar. in J. Winsor Memorial Hist. Boston (1880) I. 501 To the Public Library in Boston or elsewhere, as my executors and overseers shall judge best, Augustine's Works in six volumes, the Century's in three volumes, [etc.].

1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. The public library at Milan is also called the Ambrosian Library.

1814 G. Dyer Hist. Univ. Cambr. I. 247 You enter the quadrangle that forms the public schools through the portico of the public library.

1817 J. Torrey Intellect. Torch (rev. ed.) 9 Well selected free public libraries, it is believed, would form a very important auxiliary of public instruction, in all our schools, academies, hospitals, alms houses, cantonments,..state prisons, penitentiaries, work houses, &c. &c.

1829 (title) A catalogue of the South African Public Library, Cape of Good Hope.

1851 Eliza Cook's Jrnl. 29 Mar. 343/1 The spirited townsfolks of Manchester have taken up the project of a Free Public Library, and already proceeded to set it on foot.

1892 (title) Finding list of the free public library of the city of Evanston, Ill.

1994 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 29 Jan. d8/1 Public libraries were meant to ensure that books were not the exclusive domain of the literati.

2012 D. L. Gilton Lifelong Learning Public Libr. i. 4 Many public libraries now instruct adults of all ages on computer use, promoting several literacies.