/kloc-membership libraries appeared in Britain and America in the 0/8th century. But each member pays a certain amount of money, which is the same as buying and using books. Most members are low-income citizens. Among them, American politician and scientist B. Franklin opened a famous member library in Philadelphia on 173 1, and the British historian T. Carlisle initiated the London Library on 184 1. 19th century is the prosperous period of membership-based libraries. As a transition to modern public libraries, membership-based libraries occupy a unique position in the history of libraries.