Mercantile Library of Cincinnati

[1][2] Once established in 1835, the Young Men's Mercantile Library Association pooled their existing resources (books, materials, money, etc.)

The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati collected books and other relevant works of art and hosted events which involved prominent speakers and authors, quickly coming to be regarded as “a cultural, intellectual, and literary center of its region”.

[5] [6][7] After opening its doors nearly 185 years ago, The Mercantile Library has several thousand volumes in their catalog that aim to display and reflect upon decades of changing interests, beliefs, and influences.

Speakers in the early days included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Wendell Phillips, W. M. Thackeray, Edward Everett, Herman Melville, Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe;[4] more recent programs have brought writers and speakers like John Updike, Tom Wolfe, and Jonathan Winters.

Many events, including courses, concerts, author readings and book signings, are scheduled at noon for the convenience of members and visitors who work and shop downtown.