Back in 1876, working in a lighthouse was one of the most isolated jobs you could have. You didn’t have access to opera houses, theatres or other luxuries from the big cities – and there were certainly no libraries.

This was the year that ‘portable libraries’ were first introduced. Brought out by lighthouse tender ships, these heavy wooden cases contained good quality books that were carefully selected for the families who would use them.

Most of the material was fiction but other classes of literature were included too, including technical books when requested.

From the Michigan Lighthouse Conservatory website. Click the link to see some examples of the titles that were included in these fascinating libraries.