Evening star., 1896-12-02
MAY BE USED AT NIGHT
New Congressional Library Building il
. - Well Equipped.
Electric Lights Are Provided So That
1t is Possible to Extend the
- q Hours for Consulta ton.

II the joint committee on the library
should decide to keep that great collection
OF books open to the public during even
ings, no work will be required on the build
Ing to mt 1t for this purpose. The lighting
OF the structure is mainly by electricity,
there being 5000 electric lights and a sufti-
gent number Of dynamos to keep 5000 of
them lighted at the same time, which would
be ample provision for the library.
"A Star reporter asked Mr.. Bernard r.
Green, the engineer in charge Of the CON
struction, whether, in case the library COM
mittee should decide to have the books ac-
cessble to the public at night, anything
WOULD be necessary as an addition to the
building to make 1t suitable for that pur-
pose. '-''" '-4
), THE library building Mr.. Green replied
has been constructed to allow IL TO be ar
ranged to suit the taste of Congress in a
number of ways. The electric plant con-
sists Of three large and one small dynamo
We now run only, the small one in the
daytime, to supply power for certain pur-
poses, bat theyrcouId all be started up
within half an hour. If the committee
should decide to have the library open at
night, the only thing required would be to
nave provided the extra attendance neces-
sary to look after the library.
we have 5000 lights in place, only need
ing the incandeScent bulbs which could he
put in place at short notice These lights
are scattered all through the building and,
OF course they would not all be required to
pe Kept burning at any one time. Many of
them are scattered through the spaces to
pe used for storing books, to be turned on
only when q parti' ular part of the library
is TO be entered But our dynamo power
Is ample tc keep 5000 of them lighted at
one time.
receive frequent inquiries as to what
- q lnl L.,
at night. OF course no one can tell what
viii be done. That is for the committee.
Oh the library to decide. Here is the build
ing, ample fer any purpose they may want
TO put II to, and the books are ready to be
moved into ii. My own idea is that if the
library is not opened at night at once. upon
nelng Installed in its new home. il will be
within the course o. a few years That 1
take ii is the drift of public sentiment
Pressure will lie brought to bear on Con-
efess 10 rave II open at night I'm order that
II may be put to the largest US. of which
II may be capable
The present library rooms i'm the Capitol
are entirely W thout provision for night
work. The alcoves have to be illumina [ ed
ny means of small hand lamps carried by
attendants, this being Necessary even dur
ing the hours Of daylight. The influence of
the sun seldom penetrates the library
rooms, save in the most open spaces and
on cloudy days reading even in the large
rooms is trying task. Efforts TO have
the collection thrown open al night have
been defeated by the consideration that il
was too great a task wire or pipe the
walls that have for years been lined with
volumes. The facilities for ordinary con-
sultation were so poor, il was thought
that night use was out of the question, al
been made to Congress to show how the
confinement Of the open period to the day
time practically excluded many thousa nds
from access to the books.