Thomas jefferson

            One of Thomas Jefferson's most avid lifelong interests was his library.
             first collection of books was largely destroyed by fire in 1770, but the twenty-.
             six-year-old lawyer immediately set out to replace it with a more extensive li-.
             brary, one that would encompass virtually the whole of recorded knowledge.
             And in spite of the disruptions of the ensuing revolution, Jefferson noted in.
             1783 that he had acquired the remarkable total of 2,640 volumes. When he.
             departed the following year for Europe he looked forward to greatly expanding.
             his library, and, whenever he was not carrying out his duties as the American.
             minister to France, he haunted the Parisian booksellers and frequently placed.
             orders with book dealers in London and other European cities. On returning.
             to America in 1789 he possessed a library twice the size of the one he had owned.
             at his departure. By 1815, he had a collection of 6,700 volumes.
             But it was not so much on the size of his library that Jefferson prided.
             himself as on the fact that the books it contained had been chosen with great.
             care. He realized that the combination of his intense love of books, his extensive.
             travels, his keen knowledge of bibliography, and his ample means had provided.
             him unique opportunities as a collector to acquire a library that was unrivaled.
             in America. At some point Jefferson decided that this splendid library should.
             not remain private property, thinking at first that he might donate it to a univer-.
             sity. But when the congressional library in Washington was burned by the in-.
             vading British army in 1814, the former president promptly offered his own.
             Though he was then in serious financial straits, Jefferson's primary purpose was.
             to assure that the nation's legislators had access to the best sources of informa-.
             tion and ideas, for he said that he would accept whatever price and terms of.
             payment Congress thought appropriate as long as the entire collection was pur-.