Poesia Incompleta. Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. The European Library. English / Root folder - Ekstern. About LCP - Overview. The Library Company of Philadelphia is an independent research library concentrating on American society and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Free and open to the public, the Library Company houses an extensive non-circulating collection of rare books, manuscripts, broadsides, ephemera, prints, photographs, and works of art. The mission of the Library Company is to preserve, interpret, make available, and augment the valuable materials within its care. We serve a diverse constituency throughout Philadelphia and the nation, offering comprehensive reader services, an internationally renowned fellowship program, online catalogs, and regular exhibitions and public programs.
Background The Library Company is America’s first successful lending library and oldest cultural institution. During the early years of the United States, books were not widely available. The collections grew with the nation and reflect the country’s many faces and varied interests. Public Programs. Homepage.