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The earliest example in England of a library to be endowed for the benefit of users who were not members of an institution such as a cathedral or college was the Francis Trigge Chained Library in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1598.

The library still exists and can justifiably claim to be the forerunner of later public library systems.

The beginning of the modern, free, open access libraries really got its start in the U. K. in 1847.

Parliament appointed a committee, led by William Ewart, on Public Libraries to consider the necessity of establishing libraries through the nation: In 1849 their report noted the poor condition of library service, it recommended the establishment of free public libraries all over the country, and it led to the Public Libraries Act in 1850, which allowed all cities with populations exceeding 10, 000 to levy taxes for the support of public libraries.

Another important act was the 1870 Public School Law, which increased literacy, thereby the demand for libraries, so by 1877, more than 75 cities had established free libraries, and by 1900 the number had reached 300.

This finally marks the start of the public library as we know it.

And these acts influenced similar laws in other countries, most notably the U. S. The first tax-supported public library in the United States was Peterborough, New Hampshire ( 1833 ) first supported by state funds then an " Act Providing for the Establishment of Public Libraries " in 1849.