New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
THE STATE LIBRARY.
AN INSTITUTION OF WHICH THE REGENTS
AND THE STATE MAY WELL BE PROUD.

| AN INSTITUTION OF WHICH THE REGENTS
AND THE STATE MAY WELL BE PROUD.
THE FINEST QUARTERS AND THE BEST AR
RANGEMENT IN THt woRLD-MR. DEwEY's
EXCELLENT woRK-AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THE STATES EDUcA
TIoNAL SYSTEM
rppox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrDUy.a
Albany. Dec 13-whcn the members Of the Legis-
lature return in Christmas week. after enjoying
vacation dating from mid-Juy they are going to be
surprised al the Improvements In the state capitol
Even the approach to the gigantic white granite build
Ing is better. A beautiful park with noble trees,
grassy lawns and fine curving walks, has taken the
place of the hdcous plot Of ground covered with rag
ments OF brick and chips of granite that formerly was
an anliction 20 the eyes the east front Of tho
Capitol by which all visitors approach the building
Entering the Capitol, tho Senators and Asscmblymcn
will discover that the grad stairway OF white sand
stone leading TO the Assembly Chamber which looked
last July in such a ruinOus condition, all Its lower
piers and columns broken, has been so successfully
shored up and repaired that no ono would now suspect
that the structure had been endangered. Then The
Assembymcn will a,ly d or that the magnificent
Assembly Chamber has been greatly modified In APP
pcarance that its pondcrOus Stone ceiling, weighing
thousands OF tons. has been replaced with pleasing
ceiling Of yellow oak, weighing only few hundred
TONS that the galleries have disappeared,
that beautiful cathedral painted glass has taken the
place of cheap glass I'm the largo windows that light
the room, and that the room has been beautifully
painted and carpeted. Tho Senators will soon learn
that they have new library room; one that with
its lining ceiling and book shelves Of quarteed OAK
IS one of the handsomest in the building. Moreover
the Assembymen VIII notice that two smoking rooms
have been created for them under galleries IN 'neir
chamber Then there new carpets ana ne"
1iCht w
been altered so that f1cy faster; and all In all
the Senators and Assembymen cannot but be aston
fshed and pleased at the improvements In their winter
home.
Yet the chief improvement I'm the Capitol remains
70 be mentioned namely the new rooms oil the o'a'e
Library IN the western end of the building inc nc"
rooms are not quite completed, but those which are
indicate that when all are ready for occupancy they
will be regarded n the finest in the building Splendid
as are the Assembly Chamber and the senate Chamber
said Mclv Dewey. librarian Of Columbia College, yes
terdsy, 4" / predict that the visitors to the Capitol
in the future, completing their sightseeing about
the building will declare that the occupied by the
state Library the handsomest they have seen. AS
rooms for library they surpass those of any other
library in the world in beauty I give that testimony
after visiting all the great libraries of Europe and the
United Statcs.7 Other librarians who are competent
to express judgment on such matter IT is believed
will say that the library the result OF Mr. Deweys
work. is of the most scientifically arranged In the
world. 1t will be emphatcaly modern library;
with the most recent inventions for the rapid and
economic handling of books, and with cosey reading
rooms for students
1t was the Board Of Regents who secured from the
Legislature last spring the of $143,25o necessary
10 complete the rooms of the library The Regents
appoint the State Librarian and the library is under
their as part Of the university system of the
state. The Regents also recommended to commits
building operations the employment OF Mr.. Dewey as
an adviser Of the arrangement of the library,
an expert in this matter obviously being
needed. The building commission, which
had as IT'S members Lieutenant Governor Jones,
Speaker Cole, Senator Low president pro tenn of the
Senate, and Isaac G. Perry the New Capitol Commits
soner. adopted the recommendation The Regents
also showed their hearty interest in the library, and
their desire that it should be credit 10 the State, In
another way When the plans of Mr.. Perry for the
library 10 be examined by the Commission, 1t
discovered that lie had included among the
he desired for the library several at pres
occupied by the Board of Regents. The Regents,
upon receiving this information, at surrendered
their and took Others in the story above This
action of theirs gave the State Library continuous
of tho third floor of the Capitol, from
the north the south front OF the building 1t should
be added that the library also has OF the
the fourth floor of the front Of the building The
library may be said TO occupy the entire western
ton Of the building on the third floor The space
signed to It has been enlarged since last spring
When Mr.. Dewey arrived in Albany he pointed out
that additional space could be gained for the library
by including within It large corridors that to the
eastward Of the library rooms, and which wore not
needed for the of persons travelling about the
building. Mr. Perry and the other members Of the
Commission thought the suggestion good one, and
thus the library gained shelving for 100000 additional
volumes Mr.. Perry, on his part set about securing
an abundance of light for the library. lie took out
needless walls and butresses, and extended and
larged the windows. lie also pierced the upper floors
and put in gigantic skyghts. The slate roof of the
east side of the Capitol several points. removed
and glass put IN ifs place. Then skylirhts 10 by
80 feet placed in the floor OF the attic below.
In consequence food Of light descends into the
rooms of the library the fourth floor, which would
otherwise be quite dark stream Of light also pours
into the eastern and western windows all the floors
of the library enabling the librarian to the titles
Of books and students easily TO read anywhere the
books they have secured.
The library will be distinguished for the number Of
places whore students sit in retired hooks at WIN
dowS and read take notes from the books they have
obtained. At Mr. Dcwey's suggestion special pains
were taken with the ventilation Of the library, he
holding that the first requisite for STUDENT OF liter
ature is pure air. Mr. Perry therefore introduced
big ventiang shafts, and now one can easily discern
the fact that tie State Library the best
ventilated in the building Mr. Dewey predicts that IN
consequence of the good air. there will be smell Of
mouldy books IN the library when 1t IS started and
that Will be able TO work constantly without
any thought of the atmosphere, except that It is ex
cellent
The visitor TO the Capitol, upon seeking the State
Library, will find that It has only one entrance.
This IS through door opening off the grand stair
way that occupies the centre Of the western wing
Of the building Entering this door, the visitor viii
fnd himself in the Centre Room Of the library.
This room IS Of highly impressive character on
account Of its size and architectural character. 1t
occupies fun stories Of the Capitol IS SO feet
I'm height, Is ~ feet I'm width and 20 feet in length
standing in the of this room, the visitor can
command a vista of the library rooms extending
along the entire western front of the Capitol, tho