The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
BookWorms and Books
in the Nations Library
Librarian Spofford Is Ogre to Some and an Ora
Gle to Others-Habitues of the Pace-Odd
Types of Readers.

The library OF Congress since it's erection
An the time OF Jefferson with handful OF
books and an appropriation annually OF
about $3.50 for the first five years has
always been In interesting place.
The first considerable addition to it was
the purchase of Mr.. Jefferson's private
library. Ii had grown TO 1900 volumes
when it was burned by the British along
with the rest of the public buildings on the
day after the battle of Bladensburg,
August 25, 1914. When re-established
IL was moved about from pillar TO post
until established in its present quarters
after the great fire which swept away
80 GOO OF its 90 5000 volumes somewhere
in the nf1es.
It'srooms wereinthatdayco
nificent and it was the boastasl late as 1873
that it was the only absolute fire proof
library in the world All the others had
wooden shelving; this had nothing about it
thatwOuld burn hebooksthemselyes.
The shelves are all of iron.
1t was in that day, TOO, considered that
the space was ample for the books. The
three halls, each nearly hundred feet long
and fhirty-five to forty feet high, with
width sufficient to allow three tiers of book
shelves in the main or western room and
four tiers in each Of The others were by many
thought TO be sufficient for many years
to come.
The enforcement OF the law requiring
two copies Of the first edition of every
American copyright book TO be furnished
the librarian, and the torpid condition
of public spirit which has so far failed
10 take advantage OF this situation at the
same time 10 relieve the Congressional
library and to put these books at the COM
mand Of the public by establishing free
public library, has piled books up, Pelion
on ossa, till they seem likely some day
TO overflow and fly away like foam on
the sea.
STUDENTS AND TRIFLERS.
The coming OF the great gold capped
structure on the square east of the Capitol
that ia 1897 viii receive Mr. Spofford
and his friends, will, Of course, relieve
the painful congestion now existing The
present condition viii then become old
times aud the interesting and singular
things now seen about the present lihrary
viii have given place Ia more interesting
aud stranger conditions and events, TO be
observed about the new
With all its vicissihIdes this largest
aggregation Of books in Washington has
y
students aud triflers with much the same
characteristics and whims as eau be found
there now and will be found when the
splendid new home is in use. Some OF
these are very noteworthy persons. a
writer Uf twenty years ago said:
The most remarkable fact OF the present
connected with the Congressional library
is its librarian, Mr.. Aiuswurth R. Spot
ford. He was formerly connected with
secular press in Cincinnati, and was also
enga ged ia the book business in the same
city But neither fact accounts for his
almost unlimited practical knowledge of
books OF every age and in every language
he is himself a vast library in epitume.
If You wish TO inform yourself upon any
subject under the sun, if you have any
right or privilege to inform Mr.. SpOfford
of the fact, in five minutes you will have
placed before you list, written down
rapidly from memory, Of the best works
eEtant upon the subject, and in as few
m0ments as it will take 10 find them and
draw them forth from their dusty nests,
you VIII have them all heaped on a table
before you ready for your search and
research, and all the headaches they will
be sure To give you.
MR. SPOFFORD'S PATIENCE.
Mr.. SpoffoUd is a slight gentleman In
the prime Of life, Of nervous Eempera-
meut, with very straight, smooth hair,
classic features and placid couutenance.
Always a gentleman, his patience and
ur5anIty ara iuexhaustible, if you have
the slightest claim upon his care. If
You have not. and he has no intention
Of being bothered his shoe Fly capa-
biIities are equally effectual."
The great difficulty about it all is
that Mr.. Spofford is himself the sole judge
OF who has a claim upon his care, and
there is practically no appeal from his
decision. III the applicant be person
OF power to help or hinder the great libra
rian in his work and hopes, or II the
efforts Of the applicant meet his approval,
there is no stint OF this rich assistance;
but il his aims 90 not please Mr.. Spofford
and he has no Influence to aid the library
or kindred interests he finds himself facing
N high stone wall with all the books on the
other side
Mr.. Spofford has many assistants, and
they are very efficient in much thesam way
ms Mr. Spofford himself. That seems to
be the plan upon which the Institution
AZ managed. The librarian and his assist
an4s constitute the catalogue, and the way
90 reach a book is TO tell one of these
gentlemen what subject is under inves-
legation. If the inquirer happens not 10
interest any one of them and does not know
exactly what books are important in the
research he is making his case is nearly
hopeless. There is an author catalogue
late in the Sixties, and fragment OF
subject catalogue begun several years
later, but neither is OF much assistance.
There has been little effort to make the