Created: Middle Ages
Where: Egypt
Scale: 65,000 public libraries in the EU

Origins of the public library date back as far as the Middle Ages with historians citing Egyptian ruler al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh as financing and opening spaces to the public, where anyone, including laymen, could choose books for scribes to copy, free of charge. In the UK, Chetham's Library in Manchester, which opened in 1653, claims to be the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.

The more modern interpretation of the public library expanded rapidly during the 19th century as philanthropists and businessmen funded large numbers of libraries for the edification of the masses. While the first incarnation of libraries focused on the lending of hard copy books, more recently they've been working to bridge the digital divide, by providing computers and internet access.

This increased digitisation of information has also forced libraries to explore completely new ways of diversifying. One such project, is Libraries Unlimited, one of our 2018 New Radicals that is rejuvenating and redefining the library for the 21st century with bold and inclusive activities like Drag Queen Story Time for the under 5s.