Download or read book Irish University Press Series of British Parliamentary Papers: 1850 (655). 1851 (630). 1852 (532) written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons and published by Shannon : Irish University Press. This book was released on 1968 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The establishment of free public libraries in England resulted from a bill in 1850 requiring a rate contribution for town libraries. Four Select Committee reports issued between 1849 and 1852 provide the essential extent of parliamentary concern in this field. Chaired by William Ewart, an active parliamentary reformer, these committees were motivated by a desire to promote the cultural benefits of good literature among the general public and particularly among the agricultural population. -- Publisher's catalogue.