The charter establishing the library states that Abraham Redwood, "having nothing in view but the good of mankind, hath chosen to make his donation as lasting and diffusive as possible... to form a Society, or Company, for the propagation of Virtue, Knowledge, and useful Learning." Membership Libraries, and the origins of the public library in the United States, dates back to the establishment of these so-called social libraries, the very first of these was the Library Company of Philadelphia, founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin.  In these libraries, Proprietors own shares and pay an annual assessment, and Subscribers pay fees for borrowing privileges. In 1748 Henry Collins donated the original plot of land for the library.  It was made up of the "Bowling Green" at the corner of what are now Bellevue Avenue and Redwood Street.