Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-27
A GREAT LIBRARY.
The New Structure For tho
Library OF Congress.
Librarian spofford Talks About Noted
Collections Of Books.

Cnitcu Dlatcs, LlDTarlaH ppOHOru Salu:
"The capacity of the building will be
for three and one half millions of books.
/ We now have five hundred and seventy
thousand volumes, not counting two
hundred thousand pamphlets and large
and rare collection Of manuscripts. The
interior of the building will be finished
for the books we now have, leaving the
introduction of additional iron alcoves as
required by the growth Of the future"
"How long will it take to Gil the build
ing with booksl"
"At the probable rate of increase,
about two centuries Tho present growth
is about rs, 900 volumes. annually. There
will be large reserve space in the rear
of the building for the construction of
an annex, which will accommodate two
million more volumes. The growth Of
great Libraries in the United States and
other countries in the nature OF things
is without limit, so enormous has be-
come the development OF the art Of
printing. This library in the United
States is destined to distance all others
in the future
"When took charge OF this library
twenty-five years ago there were twenty
five larger libraries in the world! Now
there is but five larger. Until recently
the Boston Public Library, founded in
1852 from funds raised by city taxation
on liberal scale, was the largest in the
United States, with 100000 volumes.
Now this library exceeds it by nearly
200, 90 volumes. The Philadelphia
Library Company, founded in 1881, and
Mercantile Librory of Philadelphia,
founded in 1872, nave less than one
third the number in this library.
"The largest library in the world is the
Bibliotheque Nationalc of France, or Ma
tionaI Library formerly Royal, then I'm.
perial, according to the changes of gov
crnment. 1t was founded in 1887 by
royal printing tax requiring copy Of
each book printed for the Kings library,
and contains 2, $50, 600 volumes. The
library of the British Museum, founded
in 1853 froma donation of books and
private gallery of Sr Hans Sloan, con-
tains 1,50O, 900 volumes. 1t became
great library through liberal donations
from subjects of the Crown, including
many great private libraries. The
books, cngravings, arts, antiquities and
natural history have long since outgrown
their present quarters. All collections
except books, engravings and few anti
quitics have been successfully removed
to Kcnsington to make room. The st.
Petersburg Imperial Library, founded by
ukase of the Gar has 1000, 900
volumes. The Royal Library of Berlin,
founded by a copy tax in 1861, the o.d-
est big library on the globe, has ZOO, 900
volumes. The Library of Munich, Ba-
varia, founded in the sixteenth century.
claims 100000 volumes, but includes
pamphlets, which we do not. If we
counted pamphlets We would have no.
900. The next in size is the Library of
Congress, which is our national collec-
ton.
"a great library is like a great army,
a chaotic mass, without organization,
but when divided into army corps, brig
AIDES, regiments and companies you can
put. your finger on every man. So with
books, no matter how vast the collection,
once adopt a clear and intelligible sys-
tcm Of classification and any one of the
million volumes may be found as readily
as if there were but few hundred.
"The origin of the Library of Congress
was an appropriation of few hundred
dollars in 1900, the year the government
occupied Washington. President JEFF
fcrson took great interest in it. John
Randolph, chairman of a special COM
mittee, reported in 1901 favoring
liberal policy towards it. In 1914 the H.
brary had but 5000 volumes and
81, 900 year. In that year it was
burned by the British. Jefferson ov,r-
taken by debts, rendered his library of
6,700 volumes, which was purchased by
Congress for $23, $50. In 1851 it reached
$500 volumes, when it was again almost
totally destroyed by fire. About 10000
volumes, the least valuable portion, was
saved. In 1866, two years after my ap-
pointmcnt rs librarian, it had but 40, 900.
1t now has, as | have said, $40, 900 vo!-
umes and 200, 900 pamphlets. 1t is pc
cuiarly rich in rare Amer an manu-
scripts and works on American discov-
cry, settlement, history, biography,
politics and resource. Its collection of
foreign and scientific works and law Ii.
brary have no equals here.
"Thc AIcxandran Library, said to
have contained 700, volumes and
burned by the Calph o mar in the seventh
century, is lost il ,ho midst of fiction and
tradition. Much that is said about
it has been proven apocryphal upon
highest authority. There is no
doubt of collection OF books having cx.
listed aud some were burned but as to
the number said to have be n destroyed
centuries leforc the invention of print
ing, that is impossible. All volumes
then were in manuscript. The earliest
approach to a library was brought to
light in recent Assyrian discoveries and
consisted of Babyonish books en- clay
tablets, supposed for public instruction,
$50 B. c. The public library, rs we
understand it, is modern invention.
presume the oldest library in the Unitel