University libraries in the United States

The libraries associated with these institutions largely consisted of donated books on the subjects of theology and the classics.

[3] Students instead created literary societies and assessed entrance fees in order to build a small collection of usable volumes often in excess of what the university library held.

The American Library Association was formed in 1876, with members including Melville Dewey and Charles Ammi Cutter.

[4] Academic libraries today vary in regard to the extent to which they accommodate those who are not affiliated with their parent universities.

The privileges so obtained usually do not extend to such services as computer usage, other than to search the catalog, or Internet access.