Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-11
THE NATIONS LIBR ,RY,
4 Big Concern and ne Man who
Mshaeas IT.

h'>duESS 1t.
4 Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Iimes-iStqr writes One of the
busiest persons in Washington these hot
summer days is Ainsworth r. Spotford,
the Librarian of Congress. While other
people are disporting themselves by noun
tain or seaside he IS busy with his plans
for the new Library building. And while
other people are happy in their relief from
work he is more happy in this opportunity
to devote himself to this work. 1t has been
the project of his existence for many years.
There had been bill after bill in Congress
for the erection of Library building, and
Mr.. Spottord has been waiting for these
many years to see the accomplishment OF
his hopes. Now that the proposition has
actually become fact and the land tor the
site has been purchased, lie cheerfuily re-
linquishes his summer vacation Tor the
work he has so long hoped to see accom-
plished
Mr.. Spofford is wonderful man. Talk
of walking encyclopedias, he is an ency-
ciopedia Of encyclopedias-and a walking
one, too. No matter what you want TO
know, if it is to be found out in books. you
have only TO go to Mr.. Spofford, and he
will put you in q way to find it. He is one
of the busiest men in Washington, but
never too busy to answer question relat-
ing to information to be had from books.
Approach him on any other subject than
the one connected with his lie study, and
his replies are brief, often in monosylla-
bles, showing that he takes no interest III
the subject. Turn the conversation to
books or kindred topic, and he Is all at
tention. He has studied the library build
ings of the world, and the new building
which is to be constructed under his super
vision will be a model, so far as it may
with the rather limited sum which Con-
gIess tardily and grudgingly gave for the
preservation of the splendid library which
Mr.. Spofford has had IN keeping, and which
has so largely accumulated in the past
twenty-five years.
The library of Congress, to which Mr..
Spotford was appointed Librarian by Presl-
dent Lincoln in 1863, then consisted of 49,
900 volumes. Now it contains 750,0 600 vol
umes of books and pamphlets. Then its
quarters were considered commodious and
capacious; now they are crowded with
piles and boxes of books that cannot be
used because there is not room for their
distribution, and many dark rooms in the
basement OF the Capitol are filled with vol
umes which cannot be given accommoda-
tons in the library itself. Then the salary
of the Librarian and his assistants was &c.
600 or 81 600 a year now their total sala-
| ries amount to nearly $4,000 year. Then
the library was surpassed by many in diff
ferent parts of the world; now there are
| but four in the entire world which outrank
| it. ,At the rate OF increase which has been
| the ale for many years past, Mr.. Spofford
willAaye a round million of books and
pamphlets to store away in his new library
building when it is completed. The rate
| OF increase in the number of works in the
| library in the past year has been very
| rapid. By law, every person who copy
rights book must send two copies to the
library. Besides this, Congress gives him
| 1900 TO $50 900 a year for the purchase OF
books for it, and under the careful manage
ment of Mr.. Spofford this gives rapid in
| crease in the number OF its works. The IL
| brary now is increasinget the rate of nearly
| $4,000 volumes year. The collection is q
wonderful one. 1t comprises books in ten
| different languages, and on many impor-
| tant subjects it has volume of every work
| published. Many of the works upon the
| shelves are especially valuable for their an
| tiquity, while in all new publications, both
| in this country and elsewhere, it keeps
| fully up to the times.
The Library, while it is called the Ii
brary Of Congress, is really the Library OF
the people. Anybody who visits it may
| examine at his leisure any of the works
| upon its shelves, and, By depositing the
value ofany book, may take it to his home
and keep it for a considerable time. 1t is
the Mecca of the historian and careful
writer from all parts of the country
They travel here to study the works OF
reference upon its shelves, and any day
you may see within its walls men and
women of letters studying the valuable
records which it contains
The Library was founded in 1902 with
some 5000 volumes carefully selected
in London. John Randolph was one OF its
earliest friends and supporters. Jefferson
was also its friend, and when he found il
necessary to part with his fine collection o.
books they were promptly purchased BY
| Congress and added 10 the Library. 1t i;
said that Jefferson shed tears on parting
with his library, which was for that time
q very fine one. Like other features of tht
great Government it has had it reverses
1t was destroyed by fire when the British
| invaded Washington in 1914. They took
the books from the Library, which wa:
then in the Capitol, as it is now, and, pilins
| them on the floor OF the ball of Representa-
tives, set fire to them, and thus fired tho
| great building. Thirty-seven years later {
fire caused by defective hue destroyed
half the Library, which then consisted o
some $4,000 volumes.