National libraries developed at first as reference libraries. The right of deposit of one copy of every item printed in a country to the national library ensured the rapid expansion of national libraries in Europe and Britain. For instance the Biblioteque Royale of France had 6000 titles in 1622. By 1720 it had 80,000 printed volumes and 16,000 manuscripts.
Generally libraries were opened to the public only after 1800.
The national libraries acquired books by buying whole private collections, sometimes acquired books as the spoils of war, and also acquired the libraries of monasteries that were closing done. In England under Henry the 8th, the seizure of Catholic assets included the libraries.
In the French Revolution, the libraries of fleeing nobles ended up at the Biblioteque Nationale, as it was then named.
Unwanted volumes were sent to regional libraries.
England suffered a huge loss when there was a burning of books by censors around 1500-1550, even items from Cambridge and Oxford University libraries, which was a cultural catastrophe. Bodley revived the Oxford library beginning by donating his own collection, and leaving further funds to it after he died. That’s why its still known as the Bodleian Library.
The destruction of books by the Nazis if they were pro-communist or anti-Nazi, and later the destruction of work that was anti-communist and pro-Nazi by Russia are examples of the obstacles libraries have faced over the centuries. Whole libraries were destroyed during WW1 and WWII, though important works were sent to country locations and saved across Europe and England.
Of course, the printing industry changed libraries forever. Its influence is obvious in this regard.
My process
I enjoyed reading from the book listed below. Earlier this year the library at Swinburne's Prahran campus was giving away old books, and this one was too interesting for me to pass up.
Resources
Johnson, E D 1970, History of libraries in the western world, Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J.
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