The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-25
OUR NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY
PLANS OF THE BUILDING TO BE PUT
UP ON THE REsERYOIR TT

Largest or tho Kind In the Country with the
Exception OF the Congressional Library
The Structure Alone Will Cost 81, 700. 900
A Competition or Architects TO Ne Held.
PHILADELPHIA, June 24.-Dr. John s. Billings,
librarian OF the New York Public Library,
formed by the consolidation Of tho Aston,
Lenox, and Tilden foundations, laid his plans
for the construction Of the new library before
the conference of the American Library Associ-
ntion In tho Drexel Institute to-day. The library
ia to DO erected on tho site Of tho
old reservoir at Forty-sccond street and
Fifth avenue at a cost Of 81 100000 for the
structure alone, 81, 500, 900 having been allowed
by the Legislature to clear the site and erect
the building. DIR. Billings's plans showed that
the proposed building was to BIO 225x35o feet,
with open courts in the centre. Tho lot Is Ask
455 feet. The Congressional Library is the only
larger one In the country. The stack room " OF
the library will DO on tho first floor, and will
provide for ]. 250,0 900 volumes. This is designed
to serve for twenty-five years, and 1t can then DO
enlarged to accommodate 3,o00.o 900 books. The
reading room is to be on the third floor. Both
stack room, and reading. room will be at the
back of tho building and will have light on three
The main entrance will be on Fifth avenue.
second str stre s,s0 The 7 baps S = sV iii Be- given I've up 70
heavy library machinery, and will have a venti-
latlnR plant, printing plant, ana Olnuery. Luncn
rooms will be established on the Fifth avenue
The first, floor will hayo a children,s depart
ment and o periodical room. with 1000 linear
seating capacity for 600. a public docu-
ments room. and a newspaper reading room,
with $500 feet OF shelving for reference books
and provision for 500 readers. with an allot-
ment of 30 square feet for each reader. Tho
"stack room, in which the books will DO placed.
will have shelves arranged in tho form OF q
paralleloRram, and will have 10000 feet Of
shelving.
Tho second floor will be q special libraries
floor. and will have separate collections. rare
books and manuscripts. There Will be q class
room seating $50. The third floor will have O
T-shaped reading room, special study rooms. and
q photographic room. Among the features OF
the library will DO a music room, with 1000 feet
of shelving: a Bible room. with 1900 feet of
shelving; a map room Of 900 square feet, n pic
ture gallery Of 5000 square feet, a room for the
Stuart collection of the same size, an exhibition
room for the history Of printing, n women's room
for visitors, and a telephone room.
Tho plans were generally discussed by the
delegates, most of whom approved of them. and
q committee OF three was appointed to consider
the general plan. Melvil Dewey of the New York
State Library said that the structure should
DO erected so that q change of policy
Of tho city would not permit the taking
of any part OF Bryant Park. He thought
there should be q park In tho centre and
Billings thanked his critics for their helpful
suggestions, and said that the approval of the
association would be Of great Importance and in.
fuence for tho committee appointed to select
the plans from those TO be submitted by tho com.
peting architects.