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The library was founded by Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her late husband, John Rylands. In 1890, having purchased a site on Deansgate at the heart of Manchester city centre, she commissioned a design from architect Sir Basil Champney. Mrs Rylands had originally intended the library as a principally theological collection and the building, a very fine example of Victorian Gothic, has much of the appearance of a church. The core of the library was formed around the collection of 40,000 rare books assembled by George John Spencer, which Mrs Rylands purchased in 1892. The library was finally opened to readers on January 1, 1900.