The Acquisition of Books by Chetham's Library, 1655-1700: A Case Study in the Distribution and Reception of Texts in the English Provinces in the Late Seventeenth Century

This thesis is an examination of the acquisition of books by Chatham's Library, Manchester from its foundation in 1655 until the end of the seventeenth century. Working from the Library's original manuscript Accessions Register and the booksellers' Invoices, the thesis reconstructs the processes at work in the foundation, creation and use of a large scholarly library in Manchester in the latter part of the seventeenth century.