Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-13
The Congressional Library.

Plans and designs in several different styles
of architecture have been sent to Senator
Voorhees,. chairman of the joint Congression-
al committee. for the proposed new library
building. and the committee will report the
bill for the construction of the building soon
after the recess. The members Of the com
mittee who, by reason of their duties, have
been all through the library, fully appreciate
the urgent necessity of providing a new build
ing at the earliest practicable moment, and
they intend to press this important matter
with all their ability.
Every available inch of space in the libra
~ rooms at the Capitol seems to be filed,
and yet there is 4 steady increase of the num-
Der of volumes. The shelves contain double
rows of books-one row behind the other
while on the floors are stacks and piles of
books. periodicals, etc. as high rs they can
be piled
For the present year the copyright entries
reach about twenty thousand while in no for
mer year did the number 90 above eighteen
thousand. Two copies or volumes of every
copyright are required bv law to be sent
to the library. So that bv this channel alone
the increase in the library this year has been
forty thousand. Among the copyrights are
multitudes of large, fine cngravings. chromos
and other works of art. which occupy much
more space than a corresponding number of
books.
The growth of maps has been enormous.
and though they are valuable. all Of them are
unused, because of want of space to arrange
them for display. and they must remain ss so
much dead matter until the library Is put in
quarters where they can be properly dis
PLAYED. Complete sets of the books and
works printed by the government are required
To be kept in the library, and by this means
thousands of volumes. many of them very
large. are annually added to the already
overcrowded rooms. Then there is an i'm
mense yearly increase of English and other
foreign books and periodicals and of the pub
lie transactions of learned societies and or
PLANTATIONS throughout the civilized world.
which are obtained through exchanges with
the Smithsonian Institution for similar works
of our country. The Smithsonian sends
these vast and valuable exchanges to the
Congressional library.
To these must be added thousands Of vol
umes of documents published annually by
foreign governments. which are obtained by
exchange for the works. documents, etc. pub
lished by our government. All these ex-
changes from all the governments. making
yearly of itself vast collection. are stored
in the Congressional library. Beside these
several channels of collection and increase
there is the yearly purchase of books and
publications. etc, with money appropriated
by Congress for that purpose. This stream
is constantly pouring in upon the library.
WHICH Is already so packed and jammed that
il Is utterly impossible to make room for
more. Everybody readily admits that there
must be library building to accommodate
the rapidly growing institution, and
those most familiar with the condi-
ton of the library realize that the new
Accommodations mist be provided without de-
Law, a. much of the valuable collection is
being injared because of want of sufficient
room to properly arrange the contents. The
purpose of the committee is to provide money
and TO begin work on the proposed new
building in Judiciary square rs soon the
weather will admit Of that sort Of work, and
then pnsh the building to completion. Once
in the new building the library will be kept
open At nights and everybody will be welcome
to its reading rooms. The regulations for
takine books from the library will probably
remain as at present. controlled by members
Of Congress. The idea will be to make il q
national reading library and not circulating
library. The present library rooms are not
provided with gas and therefore could not be
kept open At night even II the rulea permitted
H. 6ekinGton Htar.