List of libraries in 19th-century Philadelphia
The following is a list of libraries located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, active in the 19th century. Included are public libraries, academic libraries, medical libraries, church libraries, government libraries, circulating libraries, and subscription libraries.
;A
- Academy of Natural Sciences
- Agnes Irwin's School
- Almshouse library
- American Baptist Historical Society
- American Baptist Publication Society
- American Catholic Historical Society
- American Entomological Society
- American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia Chapter
- American Philosophical Society.
- American Sunday-School Union
- Apprentices' Library Company
- Athenaeum of Philadelphia
- Baptist Historical Society
- George E. Blake's circulating library
- Board of Missions of Presbyterian Church
- Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies
- Broad Street Academy Library
- Brotherhead's Circulating Library
- Burd Orphan Asylum
- Byberry Library
- Carpenters' Company
- Catholic Philopatrian Society
- Central High School
- Chalk's Circulating Library, North Third St.
- Challen's Circulating Library
- Chase's Circulating Library
- Chestnut Hill Free Library
- Chestnut St. Female Seminary
- Christ Church Hospital
- Christ Church Library
- Christian Hall Library Company
- Church of the Holy Apostle, Sunday School Library
- College Avenue Anat. School
- College of Physicians of Philadelphia
- College of St. Thomas of Villa Nova
- Colored Reading Society
- Controllers of Public Schools Library
- Edward Corfield's circulating library
- Disston Library
- Drexel Institute Library
- Eastburn Academy Library
- Eastern State Penitentiary
- Eclectic Medical College
- Edwin Forrest Home
- Engineers Club
- Episcopal Library and Reading Room
- Female Medical College
- Florence Lit. Inst. and Library
- Franklin Institute
- Franklin Library Association
- Free Circulating Library for the Blind
- Free Library of Philadelphia. Main branch located in City Hall, then in Concert Hall
- * College Settlement branch
- * Evening Home branch
- * West Philadelphia branch
- Free Reading-Room Association of Spring Garden
- Friends' Asylum for the Insane
- Friends' Library
- Friends' Observatory
- George Institute
- German Society of Pennsylvania
- Germantown Library
- Girard College
- Paul Girard's French Circulating Library
- Girl's Normal School Library
- Grand Army Republic, Post No.2
- Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania F.A.A.M.
- D. Guillemet's French Circulating Library
- Hahnemann Medical College
- Harwood's Circulating Library
- Hebrew Literature Society
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Home Teaching and Free Circulating Library for the Blind
- Homoeopathic Medical College
- House of Refuge
- Hirst Free Law Library
- Institute for Colored Youth
- Institution for the Blind
- Institution for Deaf and Dumb
- Irish Library of the Cathedral
- James Page Library Company
- Jefferson Medical College
- Kensington Literary Institute
- La Salle College
- Law Association of Philadelphia
- Leopold's Circulating Library
- Library and Reading Room Association of 23rd Ward
- Library Association of Friends
- Library Company of Colored Persons
- Library Company of Philadelphia, also called the Philadelphia Library
- * Ridgway Branch
- Library of Foreign Classical Literature and Science
- Library of the Four Monthly Meetings of Friends
- Lovett Memorial Free Library
- Mantua Academy
- Mariners' Church Library for Seamen
- Sarah McDonald's circulating library, S. 11th St.
- Mechanics' Institute of Southwark
- Medical Institute of Philadelphia
- Medico-Chirurgical College
- Memorial Free Library
- Mercantile Library Company
- Ann Miller's circulating library
- Moyamensing Literary Institute
- Mutual Library Co.
- New Church Book Association
- North Broad Street Select School
- Northern Dispensary of Philadelphia
- Northern Home
- Northern Liberties Franklin Library
- Northern Liberties Library and Reading Room Co.
- Numismatic and Antiquarian Society
- Odd Fellows' Library
- Page Library
- Peirce College of Business
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
- Pennsylvania College, Medical Dept.
- Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
- Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library
- Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane
- Pennsylvania Institution for Deaf and Dumb
- Pennsylvania Seamen's Friend Society
- Philadelphia Board of Trade
- Philadelphia City Institute
- The Philadelphia Club Library
- Philadelphia College of Dental Surgery
- Philadelphia College of Medicine
- Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
- Philadelphia County Prison
- Philadelphia Divinity School
- Philadelphia Hospital Library
- Philadelphia Library Association of Colored Brethren
- Philadelphia Maritime Exchange
- Philadelphia Museum library
- Philadelphia Public Library, administered by the city Board of Education. Also called City Library
- * Branch no.1: Montgomery Ave. and 17th St.
- * Branch no.2: Broad and Federal St.
- * Branch no.3: Frankfort Ave.
- * Branch no.4: Roxboro
- * Branch no.5: West Philadelphia Institute, 40th St.
- * Branch no.6: Main St. and Chelten Ave., Germantown
- Philadelphia School of Anatomy
- Philadelphia Seminary
- Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture
- Philadelphia Turngemeinde
- Philips' Circulating Library, Third St.
- John Phillips' circulating library, South Fourth St.
- Polytechnic College
- Mrs. S. Potts' circulating library, Walnut St.
- Presbyterian Board of Publication
- Presbyterian Historical Society
- Presbyterian Home for Widows and Single Women
- Public Library for People of Color
- Roxborough Lyceum
- St. Joseph's College
- St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute
- Seamen's and Landsmen's Aid Society
- Shallus's Circulating Library
- Social Art Club
- Society of Students' library
- Southwark Library Company
- Spring Garden Institute
- Teachers' Institute of Philadelphia
- Theological Seminary
- Theological Seminary Reformed Presbyterian Church
- Theological Seminary St. Charles of Boromeo
- Three Monthly Meetings of Friends
- Union Circulating Library
- Union League Library
- United States Mint
- United States Naval Home
- United States Navy Yard
- Universal Peace Union
- University of Pennsylvania
- * Furness Library
- * Law Department
- * Medical Department
- Wagner Free Institute of Science
- Walnut St. Female Seminary
- West Philadelphia Institute
- Western Library Association of Philadelphia
- Wills Hospital
- Wilson's Circulating Library, South 11th St.
- Wistar Medical College
- Women's Christian Association
- Women's Hospital