Specialised medical and scientific libraries barely existed in England in 1750, although there were numerous libraries in which the subjects were well represented. By 1850 a flourishing network of specialised libraries had developed, almost entirely through private enterprise, though government involvement had begun.

In the eighteenth century, scientific subjects such as chemistry and botany were closely allied to medicine, and a medical training was the only formal scientific qualification available. Many would-be scientists earned their livings as medical practitioners or, if they were fortunate enough to be employed as scientists, had originally qualified as physicians, surgeons or apothecaries. Medical and scientific libraries were significantly different. Medical libraries developed to serve well-defined communities of medical professionals. By contrast there were very few professional scientists until well on in the nineteenth century, but people from a wide variety of backgrounds had an interest in science, so that, while medicine tended to be the preserve of specialised libraries, general libraries were inclined to include science. When specialised scientific societies and libraries did begin to develop, they served interested amateurs as well as professionals. The libraries discussed in this chapter existed primarily to serve the needs of the professional classes.

Another feature worth mentioning is the peculiar English development of the London, Oxford and Cambridge triangle. London was the capital city and the headquarters of national institutions and professional associations, but had no university until 1826. Oxford and Cambridge were the country’ only two university cities, and their collegiate structure led to the development of a range of libraries there.