A circulating library (also known as lending libraries and rental libraries) lent books to subscribers, and was first and foremost a business venture. The intention was to profit from lending books to the public for a fee.[1]
^Rassuli, Kathleen M.; Hollander, Stanley C. (2001). "Revolving, Not Revolutionary Books: The History Of Rental Libraries Until 1960". Journal of Macromarketing. 21 (2): 123–134. doi:10.1177/0276146701212003. S2CID143001225.