Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-06
OreuSuy I.ibrarrcs nj Night.
TIE NECESSITY FOR EVENING HorRs-rHE EIEc-
TRIO LIGHT IN TBS BRITISH MUSEUM.
TIordon Examiuer

TkfC LIGHT IN Tbs BRITISH MUSEUM.
london ENaminer.l
In great commercial city like London, all.
save tie very few, have practical work 20 do
TIE clerk must make up bis books at the ofilce
history which he laid down last night: the law
yer must have gone over bis briefs before he
can indulge his taste for poetry or science And
outside Of these dilettahn students Is the great
class OF professional literary men. authors
ard journalists a great part OF whose
woik must be done when the working
day fer the rest OF the world Il over.
II is 10 this last class that public library is
especially valuable. To mos, men. indeed. who
are stuo.Ousy inclined. Il is. II not quite a ne
oesSity, Yet great boon and convenience; for
very few men can collect In their own homes
such library as VIII satisfy the requirements
OF a widely man. But 10 the professional
NterRteur public institution is absolutely
necessary. There are a thousand and one books
OF reference, periodicals. reports. documents OF
one Kind or smother which no private collection
could possibly include and which. 10 be- useful,
must be ready OF Access. a requirement only 20
be satisfied by the arrangements OF a great pub
lie Institution. Nor is there any lack In London
or such public libraries But strangely enough,
win only two exceptions. all the important
libraries are closed al sundown. The two
exceptions are the Guildhall and the
TIL nine In the evening. Accordingly the
man or letters. as well as the mere student
for amusement, must begin ana close HIS labors,
so far as the public libraries are concerned,
with the day light The British Museum for
Instance, In The summer closes AZ &. and In the
NlIltF as early as !. WINCH reduced The students
working day 10 SIX hours al the most II he come
al the moment OF opening. and only leave as
the door X being closed. No doubt there Is a
certain force ia the objection 10 Introduce gas
or The ordinary forms OF light, into so valuable
treasury or books as TIE British Museum.
such a course would undoubtedly entail a con-
slant risk OF fire. and the consequences OF a fire
III the great national store-hOuse OF knowledge
and arr would be simply lrreparahle. But 10 the
new mode OF lighting by electricity the same
objection does hot apply, ana. Indeed. the eX-
pertinent " as tried az the British Museum dl-
ring part OF last winter, with almost complete
success. As first experiment, or course, IL was
tiled on but small scale;but we can see no rea-
son Why IL should not be applied thoroughly.
J here Is, or course, great obstacle In the way.
Admirably administered as they are. the funds
which the government deals out with so spar
llIg hand 10 the British Museum are every day
becoming more and more Inadequate 10 the
proper maintenance OF such an institution. III
The reading room were 10 be Kept open for four
or five hours OF the night IL would entail a
CO Lot believe the museum AT present could at
tord. NO doubt the wealthy legal societies
could easily enough keep their libraries open
AFTER dark. but. after all. the class benefited
would be so small that IL is not worth while to
make the change. ON the other hand the
opening OF the great rcading-r0om at the mu-
cum Tor, say, four hours longer would be an
1ncalculable boon TO very large class OF the
citizens; and, we repeat, WE See absolutely no
within their reach. II is simply a case OF
pounds. shilllngs ard pence; and considering
tie vast revenues al this nation. r. is simply
ridiculous TO grudge she few hundreds OF thou
sands per dnnUm that so beneficial change
would involve.