Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-12
TIE NATIONAL LIBRARY BUILDING.


can Library Association Thursday. giving the
features OF the plan prepared By him Tor tue
proposed National Library building:
OF all the tasks an architect may undert lake.
that of building library is the mos oilil 'n Ut
This IS Chiefly because IT'S interior cannot, IKE
that OF churches theaterS and other large edl-
fees. display vast surfaces. huge columns or
other lofty and imposing features, giving IL tne
character OF grandeur and permanency, but
must utilize It's space by a multitude OF nix
lures OF small dimension Tor the accom- 70 Cd l.
ton of numberle5s objects OF still smaller size.
and yet must possess a certain elasticity. as
you might call the capability of expansion for
certain, rapid and large Increase or the pres
ent contents. Such arrangements one might
think rather belong In the province Of handt
craft than art, IL Ii was not that all parts
thereof must be In perfect harmony with the
architects plans Of the whole structure, who
alone Is the absolute sovereign and distributor
OF the clement most tndIspe nsable for such an
institution, VIZ:
In the construction or library, however
much attention is paid to the best fixtures and
cOnvenlences or the most useful contriv dnces
for books, pamphlets, maps. Autographs, en-.
cravings and Whatever else the manifold trea
sures may be called, which the human III
lect, and to their accessibility. cl4ssi1ca
ton, distribution. &C.; their Consideration
is or secondary ana by far Inferior import ance
TO that of fun prorusion and eiual distri-
button OF light. This eleme nj is so tndispansa-
BILE for the purposes of a library that nearly
every other consideration-tnat OF protection
against destruction OF injury by Are perhaps
excepted. may be postponed till af(er the
question OF It's Introduction is fully disp3S d
OF, and any architect VINO would allow other
subjects TO absorb his mind and study It's
detrilnent or neglect may De sure OF failure
and loss OF reputation whether the eddce to
De erected by him be Of the greatest and I'm.
precedented dimensions ana compass or merely
OF inferior prospects and whether the library
fS IN no rrtlt rttIg
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONAL LIBRARY.
To accept any interior arrangement, whether
tested by trial and approved by experience, Or
still on probation,-as an infaluble model for
Imitation under al circumstances, would be a
very grave error. because there are no Two
libraries OF exactly equal requirements, and
each one Is erected and fitted up under peculiar
ana mostly heterogeneous influences, such as
cost. SITE capacity, building material, &C., IL :.
But 10 Initiate single features OF interior arrang
mentS, which have been found acceptable aud
may be adaptable under a contemplated
program, Is not only UNDERGRADUATES but abso-
lutely necessary, because IL Is impossible to
devise for every library new and distinctly
different system OF arrangements, bat even
such examples should be modified according to
the necessities OF the prevailing circumstances,
yet never without due reference and Difference
TO the controlling element OF all libraries, viz:
light, day or sunlight, which can neither be
reproduced nor substituted By scientific means.
~
OF fixtures however cOmmendabie for private
library, may be any thing but advantageous for
a circulating or college library; nor that one for
specific purpose, Tor instance law library
Will answer for a Parliamentary or Congress.
Slonal. LIBRARY, and 1t is certain beyond argu-
ment, that no existing system, as IL Is. VIII
come up 10 the demands OF our contemplated
Natlonal Library, With It's numerous raInifica-
ions and enormous annual growth.
it would be useless to discuss the libraries
most prominent In the world In all their merits
or detects, its no such Institution, either In the
old or new world, In the past or present, re-
qulred such extensive premises and m anifold
al arrangements as the National Library OF the
nited States. which In fact Is to be more OF
MUSEUM OF LITERATURE. SCIENCE AND ART,
than strictly taken collection OF book II.
with Its millions OF sources OF information Will
become ere long not only the rendezvous OF the
learned men Of the East and West, but actually
the Mecca OF the young giant Republic, which
10 visit at least once In his life viii be the wish
OF every American, and vast numbers from
other Nations win join them In the journey to
see the last marvel Of the world.
ROOM NEEDED.
In consequence OF this, provisions Will have
10 o. made for the hosts OF visitors and curl
Oslty seekers, as well as for the ease and com
tort OF readers or students,-and besides the
ample halls and apartments needed for INQUIRY
ana se;ircn or congressman, scientists AMI NJ.
erary men, and the premises of great import
aDce, such as packing, binding. distributing
AND othef rooms, there Will have to be ample
passages for the throng Of spectators These
passages must, with the exception of the CIrcU-
lar Reading room, Dc located In the middle of
me apartments directly under tho sky light
not 10 draw the tntenSest light upon the Wis
toIs. Ont 10 prevent them from detracting any
1f The rays OF light from She cases aua their
'cLteIltS.
How iIGHTaD
hat III this Nay the greatest food or light
possible Is obtained by connecting the vertical
'ays or the sky light with the lateral beams
ION The windows without permitting the
OF any opaque obj,ci netsts M
Argument, and has tie further advantage that
ne architect secures by these passages In the
middle. the greatest possible elasticity OF FIX
uTes or the power OF expansion for the book
shelves and Gases. Experience has established
he so C4iied
"ALCoyE" sysrEI
IS the most popular and practical OF ar
angements for book Cases aud shelves by
them suitable distance lat right
lngles with the wallis into the room between
he WINDOWS, in as many tiers or stories az
Practicable, so as to secure the best light OBJ
allabie
TIE STACK Or FILE SYSTEM
y which the shelves Or cases are placed I'm
,aIauei rows with narrow passages between
hem and around them, I. q. between them and
'ooks, which has its advantages and dlsad.
antages, among the former OF when is
greater economy OF space" among the latter
he danger Of leakage from the sky-iight, The
nost natural Inference therefore Is that an
Ircnitect harmonKing both systems, by par
laiiy adopting each one, Will probably reach
he best solution OF the problem to provide for
ne necessities OF steadily increasing capacity
or inc multiplying contents OF rapidly grow
ng library.
Using the present Above" system for pres.
~ demands, he can al any time hereafter,
'hen necessary, economic space by add
Ds lows OF stacks OF cases between
ne TWO now forming the alcOves-placed par
,llel with the alcoves and thereby Increase
nelr capacity fully by one-third. Moreover.
y closing the We'll holes In the center OF the
partments, he can again economic space by
The stacking system and thus gain
very great additional capacity for storing
,ooks- And by finely separating the COPY
tSht exhibits from the library building, II need
'e, the large apartments designed for theIr use
ould b. fixed up for the accommodation OF
helyeS III stacks, and thus the capacity of the
library De Sill further increased from 2 500 900
nearly i0,O1o, 900 OF books, and all this with
nj any Material Inconvenience or extension OF
he building under consideration. There have
,teE made
OBJECTIONS re- WIDE PASSAGES
L a library, on the ground that library Is not
show place, but retired place for quiet and
aim inquiry and study; but sucn an objection
: not tenable as 10 National Library which
5 essentially OF a public Character. and In |
when the uere observation OF It's arrange.
nept and management Is In Itself an object OF
interest and study like museum, and there
re enough separate provisions made for the