Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-23

How . Vast Library IL Packed Away
In . Small Space.


How . Vast Library IL Packed Away
i'm = Small Space.
| AN EXTENSIVE ART COLLECTION WHICH THE
PUBLIC NEVER sERs-HUNDREDs OF THOU
SANDS or BooKs-How READERS ARE BEING
CROWDED OUT, ETC.
Probably the most extensive art collection In
THIS country, and In many respects a very val
liable one, is hid away in this city where no
one ever sees it, and its very existence Is un-
known, except to a few. The collection coA-
tains the best of all the etchings, Autographs,
photographs, chromos and photographers that
have been produced in this country in the past
twenty years. Their number Is countless
They are piled one above another, many of
them never having been taken out of the boxes
covered with dust and buried in neglect, in
some or the cramped and dingy rooms at the
% o5aRhitod where are stored some Of the Overflow
longs TO the library where the works OF art have
come for copyright privileges. Many OF them
and it is impossible to estimate their money
vaiue, each piece upon its own merits, not to
mention their value as illustrative of the
growth OF the graphic art in this country.
| Hung upon the walls and held In portfolios,
where they might be seen by the public, these
pictures would form one OF the most valuable
collections, besides being one of the most inter-
esting in the country. As is they. go together
VIII thousands or valuable books, thrown like
rubbish in the national
| LITERARY WASTE BASKET.
When the new library building is provided
| by Congress, these pictures will be taken out
rom under the dust and given place where
they may be seen in some way. Thousands of
books that belong to the national library are in
| as pitiable plight as are the pictures. Valu-
able works, many of which could hardly be re-
rNlo p,tI4
ture in junk shop. The library looks like a
junk shop or an auction room. The shelves
from the floor to the ceiling, have been nled
so full that the books are OOZing out and the
MOOR Is piled with the overflow. What cannot
find room on the floor are slowed away in
hooks and corners in other parts OF the build
Ing. Five hundred and sixty thousand vol
umes, two hundred thousand pamphlets, three
hundred thousand pieces of music, and count
break to get into quarters where there IL room
for only 2OO,O Volumes close fitting. There
Is room for only a little more than third of
the works of art and music and publications
OF like character, is much greater than that
demanded by the books. Some of the most
valuable WORKS have rubbed their backs against
each other until they are thread bare, and
others are squeezed SO tight that they bulge
bindings are rubbed and scratched and bruised,
and those that have got loose on the floor out OF
the crush have taken advantage of their liberty
to spread themselves out of shape.
CROwDING OUT THE READERS.
1t was originally intended that the books
should be confined to the shelves and the space
between should be occupied by readers. But
the books have been closing In upon the readers
table. One habitue says that for many years
he has been watching the walls close in upon
him like the ''iron shroud," and he finally ex-
poets to be crushed within them. In the further
crowded up on to the tables and driven the
readers out altogether. so that they are now
n tn
moderate-sized people can sit with their elbows
close to their sides and read, each having about
as his share of the reading matter, besides the
1nnumerable works of art he might look at II
they were where they could be seen. 1t would
be days task to read the titles.
With the two hundred and fifty thousand
books that are on the floor, and all the tempo
rary wooden shelves cleaned out, and the books
that are hidden behind their fellows taken out,
there would be left a very fine library. AS it Is
the books are crOwding each other of the
This is the largest library In America and there
are only five larger in the world-the national
library in Paris, the British museum the impe-
rial library at st. Petersburg, the royal library
at Munich and the imperial public library at
Berlin; The Astor and Boston public are the
only libraries in this country that any where
approach 1t and they are very much smaller.
But the congressional library is deprived of
more than halt its usefulness on account of the
lack Of room.
Every day many persons who would come to
read are turned away because they can find no
vacant seats, and on Saturdays the place is
Overrun.
BOOKS THAT ARE IN DEMAND
Senators and Representatives and their i'm
mediate families can take the books out to
read them, and the public is given the same
privilege. only they must leave the value of the
book taken, as deposit to secure its return.
But for the fact that great many books are
constantly out in this way there would not be
even storage room to keep them in out of the
weather. All the American works and many
OF the foreign are Kept in duplicate. and such
works as are valuable to congressman his
great demand. About SO sets of the works Of
Shakespeare are always out. From % TO 80
sets of 1.-THE Federalist'' are held by members
Madison papers are always in use, and it takes
| never less than ten sets of Macauley's essays
and six Of his history to meet the demand. The
members and Senators generally are great stu
dents Of Macauley and Shakespeare.
THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING.
It is thought now that the prospects for get
ting new library building are very good and
that Congress will certainly pass bill this ses-
sion. The necessity for 1t is so great and so ap-
parent that the matter can be no longer post
poned. With the plan that has been adopted
there would be plenty of room for the books,
where they could be put away on shelves out OF
| danger of fire and not subject to the unusual
wear and tear of being piled up promiscuously,
and being packed ,s away in dark ana damp
| large number of other books are stored away
| in the basement or vaults of the Capitol. The
proposed plan, besides giving plenty OF room
for the books, cOntemp1ates making the best
lighted building in the world and would fur
nish seats for two hundred or more people who
| should come to read. Besides this 1t would
give to Congress some twenty more committee
rooms. The present library has never been
opened at night, the chief reason being that
there never was any provision for gas, or any
other means OF light than the sun. The new
building would, of course, have gas fixtures
and Congress would probably decide to have il
opened Of evenings and on Sundays.
THE IIpp ADJ N,o x,rr1v,
Mr.. Spofford, the librarian, advocates keep
| ing the library open at these times, and saws
| it would be an infinite benedt to students and
the general public. Public intelligence. he
says, demands that such facilities for research
and study be offered. It the bill is passed it is
not proposed to take all the books from the
present library. Mr.. Spofford says there are
enough duplicates to 1T out the present library
with just the complement of books it should
have without depicting tho general library.
ana II should be retained as library Of refer
ence for Congress.
AN INTERESTING CLAIM.
mr.. BELTS Bill Against the District for