Robert Borthwick Adam (February 4, 1833 – June 30, 1904) was a retailer and book collector from Buffalo, New York.

Adam's home at 448 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, built in 1876, still stands.

Adam was born in Peebles, Scotland, on February 4, 1833, to Rev.

[2] Among's Adam's philanthropic activities were a longstanding involvement with the Buffalo YMCA which he served as President from 1897 until his death on June 30, 1904.

[3] In the 1880s, Adam began collecting rare books and manuscripts related to English Literature, with a particular focus on Samuel Johnson.