The Sunday herald., 1881-02-13


AT the annual meeting of the American
Library Association. held In this city during the past
week. the discussion the session OF Thursday in
gard to library buildings WAS perhaps of greatest gem
era Interest especially in Its reference to the plans for
the new Congressional library building The views pre-
sented were interesting and In some cases radicals
especially so was the paper read by Mr. W. T. Poole
librarian OF the public library of Chicago The pre-
liminary idea advanced by Mr.. Poole is an entire
abandonment OF the features OF construction of what
he called "t the conventional library building OF
" America These are large reading-room
either In the main library hall or separate room,
alcoves, and galleries. The disadvantages incident
to these features were pointed ont In consideration
of several large libraries, especial reference being had
to The Peabody Library OF Baltimore rs being gen.
eral representative of It's class This building has
broad central Isle, sixty feet In height either sdo
OF this there six stories tiers of alcoves and
galleries extending TO the roof. In the Library of
Congress the same general plan exists. The princ-
pal objections urged against 1t the great waste of
space In the central Isle the Inconvenience experienced
In ascending stairs and traversing long galleries TO
gain tSCnore distant acoves and the consequent loss
OF time OF tho attendants and delay for readers; the
inconvenience of having the readingroom In the hall
where the business OF the library is conducted the
damage to books by the intense heat which prevails In
the upper portion OF lofty halls and, finally, the great
danger from fire in storing such OF combusti-
BILE material together Mr.. Poole explained ut length
and illustrated with plans his method Of avoiding the
objections above pointed ont The scheme presented,
though worked out by All architect to arrive
the approximate cost not intended as plan for
any particular building, but merely as study for
typical building for large reference library-say OF
two million volumes. In the first place he would
abolish acoyes, substituting therefor of shelves
standing on the floor and not more than eight feet
high. lie finds that In this way many more books
can be adyantageously placed In given cubic space.
In the Peabody Library he calculates that all the
books In the building could be placed In upon
the main floor. This being done, three mere floors,
fifteen feet apart could be inserted in the empty
space above and the capacity of the building thus In
creased fourfold. The building he proposes has q
number OF stories Of moderate height, say sixteen
feet. The plan he shows has four stories. The
ground plan consists OF series OF OF
moderate width arranged In hollow square. In
the centre of the principal front Is the building for
executive Offices, blndery ETC.; extending from this
on either side and around the quadrangle are the
| library-room separated from each other by nre-
walls through which there no openings. Each q
the rooms Is lighted from two sldes those On the
corners from the outside, the others both from the
outside aEd the Interior quadrangle. Access Is had
to all the by light corridor OF Iron and glass
which extends around the interior wall from the cen
ra building This corridor need be only about
IbeI Nluci anu NOulu interfere Win
the light from the windows on the court side OF the
llbrary-rooms. The same plan Is preserved each
story, and communication Is had between the stories
by elevator in the central building. All the rooms
arranged with for books and tables and other
| conyenlences for readers. There are means OF
communication between the rooms and they therefore
cannot be made thoroughfare for the passage Of
visitors, Each room has an incombuslbe ceiling
and floor and Is nre proof compartment whose con-
tents may burn without danger any other apart
ment. one wishing to consult book In this ideal
library upon application at the oces Is directed tC
the IN which the subject treated Is located The
elevator facilitates his to the upper storlei
At the room an attendant supplies his wants without
delay. IIo Is in quiet room, Isolated from
other readers aud unannOyed by the bustl,
| Of attendants and the passing OF cr0wdi
Of curious sglt-scers. The books In the room
are an IN low cases ana within reach Of the haua
without the use OF ladders. The room is brilliant,
Illuminated by high windows on either side, whlct
flood tie vacant upper portion Of the room with Hight
Here the student work at leisure, surrounded by
| all the books bearing upon the subject Of his re-
searches, which he pursue In unn erupted quiet
The paper referred notpreparea with special ref
to the new library building but the de:lrablitl
OF careful consideration Of the points advanced In IL
construction was unanimously expressed by tho libra
rans present, including Mr.. spohord, who Is fortu
naicly In position TO give them effect as membe
OF the commission for the construction OF the build
Ing. In tho plans for the new library, as recon-
mended by the committee OF Congress, which wer'
exhibited aud explained at the same session by tn
architect, Mr.. smlthmeyeT the usual method o
construction is carried out, and It's faults ar
present IN aggravated form. The essenta
features Of the plan consist In central, octagona
reading room, from which the library halls radate
Around the whole extend In quadrangular form, th,
offices and exhibition halls forming the outside Of III
building, which Is about four hundred and nifty fee
iong and three hundred feet wide. The reading-roon
possesses the disadvantage Of being the centre from
which all the business concerning the going ont AM
receiving the books Is conducted, With strict rule
prohibit talking aloud isenforeed In similar
| IN the British Museum, The reader Is only more an
] noyed by an oppressive silence broken by stealth.