In 1757 The Library Company of Burlington was chartered by British monarch King George II for founder Thomas Rodman and John Reading as chief officer. It is the oldest library in continuous operation in New Jersey, and has the distinction of being the seventh oldest in the United States. Originally built in 1789 as the first library building in the state, the Library Company was the first in the U.S. to publish a catalog of books. The first patron was Royal Governor William Franklin, son of famous patriot Benjamin Franklin. Originally, over 70 individuals promised to pay 10 shillings a year to maintain and increase the library. Today, the library continues its uninterrupted service to the public, serving patrons with historical volumes dating back as far as 1521, modern books, CDs, DVDs, fast broadband worldwide web access workstations, and a new distance-learning facility.
