2 , ▁which ▁was ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁Gra de ▁I ▁on ▁ 6 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁core ▁of ▁the ▁library ' s ▁collection ▁was ▁formed ▁around ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁books , ▁including ▁many ▁r ar ities , ▁assemble d ▁by ▁George ▁Sp encer , ▁ 2 nd ▁Earl ▁Sp encer , ▁which ▁Mrs ▁Ry lands ▁purchased ▁from ▁Lord ▁Sp encer ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁for ▁ 2 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁pounds . ▁She ▁had ▁begun ▁acqu iring ▁books ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁throughout ▁her ▁lifetime . ▁Another ▁notable ▁purchase ▁made ▁by ▁Mrs . ▁Ry lands ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁James ▁L inds ay , ▁ 2 6 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁C raw ford ▁at ▁Ha igh ▁Hall ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁Quick ly ▁and ▁without ▁discussion , ▁Mrs . ▁Ry lands ▁took ▁them ▁off ▁his ▁hands ▁for ▁ 1 5 5 , 0 0 0 ▁pounds , ▁having ▁made ▁her ▁decision ▁based ▁upon ▁curs ive ▁description , ▁as ▁Lord ▁C raw ford ▁had ▁never ▁produced ▁a ▁definit ive ▁description . ▁▁ ▁After ▁its ▁inaug uration ▁on ▁ 6 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁( the ▁wed ding ▁anni versary ▁of ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁and ▁En ri qu eta ▁T enn ant ) ▁the ▁library ▁opened ▁to ▁readers ▁and ▁visitors ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁En ri qu eta '