The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-18

and as to the new building. He said ::
Before Congress came to Washington it
had access for time TO the books In the
Loganian Library in Philadelphia. The
little city contained a number of scholors
and there was not much trouble in getting
information. When tie capital was moved
10 Washington, however, Congress found
itself in the woods and there were DO books
of.reterence or general Libraries. When
jefferson became President the library was
first esta blished and an appropriation OF
$1,000 year was devoted to il. In 1914
we had here about 5000 volumes. Then the
British came and burned the Capitol and
the books went up in smoke. A short time
after this, President Jefferson, who had
e gotten into financial straits at Monticello,
offered his library for sale to Congress. He
had. all told. between six and seven thou
sand volumes, many OF hich were valuable
and rare Congress paid him S23, 600 for
them, which was. il Is said. just about hall
what they cost him, and they were hauled
in wagons from Monticello. to Washington.
. Parton, JtffersOn's biographer, says they
made sixteen wagOn-lOads Of books and
that Jefferson was very sorry to lose them.
In 1858 the library had Increased to 90, 600
volumes. Then another fire occurred and
50, 000-Of these were burned, includngmany
of the most aluable. The fire took place
from defective flies, and only 10000 vel
umes were saved from the ruins. BY this
time congress tDpTOuSuil dppIeCldleh TIE
need Of good library, and the year fol-
. lowing So. 600 was appropriated for new
books, and tile apprOpria tiens have gone
on from. that time 10 this until we now
have $4,000 volumes and $50, 600 pamDh-
let's. Last year we added about Is, coo
volumes to the library, and the copyrights
are now increasing our stock at the rate
of 10000 and upward per year"
--"Tell me something about the new
library"
1T will be one Of the finest libraries of
the world, and ii will be as perfect as mod
ern invention ana modern science can
make II, The three great enemies of
books are dust. heat and moisture. As to
: heat and fire, we have prevented this by
: putting the heating arrangements away
from the main structure ard there Will be
mo possible chance for anything 10 catch
fire. There will be nothing in the build
ing that would burn except the b. oks, and
l hope to have the heat so arranged that
the whole building will never be at "a
: higher temperature than 6S. The win:
dows are so liked that the building
Will be dust proof. 1t is situated in a
park and surrounded by streets which
are not much used. The windows, save
those ofthe top, will never be opened, and
1t will be one Of The cleanest buildings in
The world. IS 10 moisture, we went down
fifty feet to get the foundations III order
that there might be no dampnesS con-
neeted with them, and our heating ar
rangementS are such that there viii be no
possible danger from dampnesS. Another
great advantage viii be the having of all
the work connected with the library under
one roof As it is now we send valuable
books every day from here to the Govern
ment Printing Office TO be bound. The
danger OF loss is in many ways great, and
l tremble when I-let them co."
How about the binding of books, Mr.
Spofford?'
at is a science in itself, and all libra
rIans should watch very carefully the
binding of their volumes. tits only man
of books who knows now book should be
bound. l examine and pass upon every
book that comes from the biDdery, and
this is now great task. l began it when
the library was small and keep it up to-
day. There is great danger that a title
viii be mSSpeiled. or that the book will
be impro perly stitched or covered. ain
strongly in favor OF the binding of books
in leather rather than in calf, and it paws
to use the best of materials. Leather
bound books are first laced to the boards
by Irvine or cords, 10 which the leaves are
sewn. The leather is pasted over this
and ii makes a strong aud durable COW
erlng. There Is vast difference IN the
qualities Gf'leather. and the best covering
is a genuine LeyaUt morocco. | do not
like caltsklD. 1t is too brittle andit breaks
at the joiQts. The average morocco is
often cGlOred Sheepskin. This is soft and
easily worn out Russia leather also
breaks at the joints, while as for the
shoddy substitutes for leather and cali,
they ought never to be used in a public
library. As to color, / am strongly in favor
OF Ted.l 1t does not fade aud it livens up
the daIk-c0lored books. This question al
. binding books. however. is one that will
admit of great deal OF discussion. AS
for myself. L believe that the very best
binding is tile cheapest in the end |
think that magazines ought always to be
bound with the covers and advertisements
as these are sometimes very valuable as
historical material, giving the date and
price of each number, and as time goes on
matter which becomes very interesting.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.