A Cultural Barometer: The St. Louis Mercantile Library as National Institution, 1846-1871

Adam Arenson, University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract

The St. Louis Mercantile Library, from its founding in 1846 to its 25th anniversary in 1871, demonstrated a growing influence on the local community and the national network of libraries and museums. Working from previously uncatalogued institutional archives, this paper argues for the library as a social, cultural, literary, and scientific institution of national standing, key to how St. Louis interests shaped their vision for the future.