Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-14
RE MOVING BOOKS
Those in the Capitol to Go to the
New Library.
TIE WORK TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK
All Volumes Loaned to Outsiders
to Be Called In.
LEGISLATION EXPECTED

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The removal of the Library of Congress
will begin next week. Mr.. A. R. Spofford,
librarian of Congress, has been given pos
session. of a large room, go by 80 feet in
dimensions, in the basement of the new
library building, and he proposes as soon
as possible to transfer to this room about
100000 volumes, which comprise one-sev-
enth of the entire stock of the congress-
ioral library
Plan of Removal Not Decided.
1t has not yet been decided how the books
will be taken across the Capitol grounds
into the new building. Superintendent
Bernard Green of the new library has
given it as his opinion that the tunnel con-
meeting the Capitol with the new building
is not suitable for transferring the library
bodily into its new quarters. He believes
that some method OF takiEs the books
across the Capitol grounds should be used,
but just how this will be done has not
been decided. A contract may be given
to an express company to transfer the
books, or they may be handled entirely by
government employees
But for the present the books will be
piled in the room placed at the disposal
of MIR. Spofford, and later on some of the
old wooden book shelves from the Capitol
Will be taken over and used for holding
the books until the entire building is turned
ever to the librarian, when they will be
placed on the iron shelves which will form
their permanent home. The removal of
one-seventh of the library into the new
building will cause the present quarters
of the library to present much better
appearance. Books and pamphlets now
piled about the Railways and galleries
of the library will be taken to the new
building.
To Call in Outstanding Books.
the books to the new building, which will
probably be completed during the next two
years. has decided to call in all books now
in the hands of persons not entitled to them
by law, but who have been given the priv
i!ege of taking them from the library by
depositng their value. There are about 150
privilege, and the deposits they had left al
the library to insure the return of books are
now being sent back to them. The law
provides that the librarian may loan books
upon a deposit of their value, but his action
in this matter is entirely within his own
discretion. OF course, members of Congress,
judges of the Supreme Court and cabinet
officers will still be permitted to withdraw
books. That privilege is being granted
them by law.
May Not Loan Books In Future.
II is not likely that the librarian will. af-
sumo the practice of loaning books to per-
sons not entitled to them by law. This
matter will doubtless be cor rsidered by Mr.
spofford in connection with the joint com
mittee on library. The librarian regards
the great collection of books over which lie
presldes as a reference library, which is its
true character. While he wishes to give
every facility for the reading of the books
to the public, he does not wish to do any
thing that viii interfere with its character
reference library
The more books taken from the library
the less likelihood there will be for persons
consulting it from receiving the volumes
they wish About Io,oa0 books will be left
at the Capitol as handy reference library
for the houses of Congress. If the volumes
needed are not found in this collection the
librarian will be telephored to and the
necessary books can be transferred to the
Capitol in four or five minutes by means of
the underground tunnel connecting the two
buildings. which has Just been constructed
This handy reference library will he made
up of duplicate books now in Mr.. Spofford's
charge. which will reduce his stock so that
books cannot be loaned except by depriying
the library of the only volume of the kind
The rule now observed in the library is not
to permit a book to be taken unless a. least
two copies are on hand and unless the book
can be replaced readily.
Facilities for Visitors.
single book to be taken from its library.
Even Queen Victoria could not under the
law secure a single volume in the great
library The library of the British govern
ment is purely a reference library. and
every one who wishes to see the books must
go TO the museum, where $50 desks are pro-
vided for visitors. The present library of
Congress has but $50 chairs for visitors, but
the new building will at once be provided
with $50 separate desks, each separated by
a curtain from ITS neighbor, so that the
utmost privacy in literary work may be
secured. AS this is nearly the number of
desks needed in the British Museum, it is
thought they will answer all requirements
for the library here, but if there should be
a greater demand than they can supply ad-
dltional desks will be provided. The age
limit for consulting books in the British
Museum is twenty-one years. In the Astor
Library of New York is it eighteen years,
while the Congressional Library is at the
disposal of any one sixteen years of age.
This low age limit results in causing many
school children to spend their Saturdays in
the library, and for that reason a very
liberal accommodation for readers is neces
sary.
Will Make 1t Il Reference Library.
An instance of the disadvantage of max
ing a reference library circulating Ii
brary also is shown in the experience of
the great national collection of books at
Paris. This collection now numbers over
two millions of volumes, and some years
ago the greatest latitude was permitted to
people wishing to remove the books. An
author who wished TO write a life of Mo-
Iiere withdrew from the library every ed-
tion of the works Of the great author and
every work on Ii fe. This most valuable
collection was led for eleven years
and of course dur.!.s that period the pub
lie had no access 20 the books.
EVERYTHING Will be done that Is possible
TO nreserye the character of the library as
a reference library, and it is likely that
Congress will shortly enact laws for the
government of the library which will in
Produce new features in its management.
In the spring of 1897 the new library will
be turned over to the librarian of Con
eress when the work of removing the
books will be rapidly completed.