Postcard, "Mark Twain Library, Redding, Conn.," circa 1956

Until the 20th century, most book collections were not available to everyday Americans. The concept of free public libraries, often established through the support of prominent residents, gained traction in the early 1900s. Author Samuel Clemens (better known as Mark Twain) donated books and raised funds for the library of Redding, Connecticut, where he lived from 1908 until his death in 1910.