New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SITE.
EXTENSIONS TO THE ORIGINAL BUILD
ING WILL BE POSSIBLE

| ING WILL BE POSSIBLE.
THE READING ROOMS TO BE ON THE TOP FLOOR
NOVEL FEATURES IN THE PROPOSED
PLAINTIFF COMPETITION
Governor Black signed the bill providing g. 500 oO0
for the erection of a building for the New-York
| Public Library Thursday May 90 and on the
following day the Of the library Issued
elaborate circular In reference to the preliminary
competition for u design for the structure with
outline plans showing what they wish to secure.
The circular bore the names Of seven Of the trus-
tees constituting a committee appointed to consider
the question OF procuring plans for the proposed
library building. They are: John 8. Kennedy.
chairman: George L. Rves. secretary: John Bige-
low, John l.. Cadwaader, g. " r. Cruger. Lewis
Cass Ledyard and Alexander Maitland
inc law says that the library building is to be
erected in said Bryant Park or in upon any
portion thereof but the library authorities have
taken 1t for granted that the library TO stand
on the site of the reservoir and have arranged for
| inc preliminary competition that basis. Their
idea Is that the building should stand seventy
| lve Feet back from Fifh-ave. and about fifty feet
from Forieth and Forty-second SITS They propose
10 nave building three stories In height and about
$50 by 22j feet In dimensions Tho outline drawings
which form part Of the circular Issued fortnight
ago. are intended as an aid to architects proposing
10 compete. and serve 10 show what OF build
me the trustees desire 10 II does not follow.
however that the architects Will be required work
| on this basis. II any OF the competitors has a
better plan to offer his views Will be received by
| the Judges with open minds
| inere are OF course, two points OF view from
| with the subject may be considered. One is that
OF the architect. whose aim is 10 produce hand
some ard Imposing building. with abundance OF ex-
terror adornment The other Is that Of the practical
iibrarion who looks on the building as receptacle
| Tor books, who wishes plenty OF light and air. and
| the most convenient arrangements for getting at
the books ard meeting the needs Of the patrons Of
the library.
Tho aim Of those having authority will be to make
a commodious. convenient and serviceable library
building as such. and at the same time to erect o
structure architecturay beautiful and an ornament
| 10 tho city. To accomplish these ends. there will
doubtless have TO be something in the nature OF
| compromise.
NOVEL POSITION FOR THE READING-ROOM
The greatest novelty in the proposed building is
the placing Of the readngroom at the top directly
over the DOCK stacks So far this suggestion has
been brought 10 the attention Of experts In library
work. II has been most heartily approved II is
! obvious that such ARRANGEMENT will give the
| reading-room an abundance OF the great essential
light. and that the light will be evenly distributed
something which is impossible in large room
| lighted by windows side. Before the days OF
elevators 1t was considered essential 10 have rooms
| OF this character the ground although in the
Astor Library It Is necessary to ascend one flight
OF stairs to reach the readng-room If reading
room Is placed below the upper story and the light
furnished by means Of dome. there IS a large
amount OF wasted space. In the birding out
lined by the Public Library Trustees there Is to be
no waste room. which has 10 be constantly heated
and lighted without serving any purpose.
Another advantage In having the room for readers
In the third story is that they will thus be remote
from the noise OF streets and also freer from the
Inf lei ~ ,-tetta
the ground floor. The plan is to connect the read
ng-room with the stacks below by electrical car
riers. on which orders will be sent down and the
books asked for promptly returned.
The delivery room for the lending department will
be placed on the ground floor. IN close proximity
70 the stackroom. The latter will be on the west
ery side Of the building and will be lighted not only
by windows that side but also by open spaces on
each side Of the dclivery-room, but It is not ex-
pected to dispense with the of artificial light
among the book stacks. The floors Of the book
stacks are to be from feet 10 seven feet six
inches apart, from top to top and the main floors
OF tho building Will be made coincide with these
being either TWO stacks or three stacks in height.
Provision is TO be made for l,2D)O 600 volumes and
the public reading-rooms. three In number and all
connected. will be large enough to provide seats for
eight hundred persons In the present Aston
Library there three hundred seats and at times
they are all taken. The library will be so ar
ranged that one, two or all three rooms may be
used, according TO the public demand There will
he economy In this. since If the number OF readers
does not rise above. say five hundred one Of the
rooms could be kept closed and the cost OF heating
and lighting Il thus saved. With the light furnished
from overhead. the closing of or two OF the
rooms would not interfere In the east with the use
of the others. The delivery counter IS TO be so
arranged as to serve all the readng-rooms equally
Well
HOW THE BUILDING MAY BE EXTENDED.
One Of the thoughts In the minds of the Trustees
Committee is that the plan they have tentatively
! put forth, it will be easily possible to extend the
building In the direction Of Sxth-avc without inter-
fer!ng with the use OF the structure first erected
The space occupied by the reservoir is 4S2 by As
feet in dimensions. The proposed library building
will cover little more than one-third Of this so
that the OF the park will be appreciably in
creased /. the capacity OF the library were doubled
by extending the building westward. the city would
still be the gamer in park space by the removal of
:hc reservoir.
It is estimated tha, the structure now planned for
will meet the needs OF the city for the next twenty
five years. Such an extension has been suggested
volumes. which is a larger number than the British
Museum has at present: Taking Bryant Park
quadruple the capacity OF the building first to be
erected, or even 10 multiply it by five without de-
This is taking a long look ahead of course but such
a possibility has been considered by the members OF
the committee in rea hing the conclusions which
The suggestion Of a library building covering the
whole. or at least the greater par: of Bryant Park
is not new one but 1t is Obvious tha; the needs
OF the present and the immediate future can be
met. while at the same time the park space is
materially increased.
Whether the idea OF a simple rectangular building
will be acceptable to architects OF high standing
remains to be seen. For models Of library buildings
Of this character one has only TO look at the new
public libraries In Boston and Chicago, the latter
just on the point Of completion.
TERMS or THE COMPETITION.
The terms of the competition arranged by the
committee are generous. They were prepared under
the advice of Professor William r. Ware of Column
bia College; Bernard r. Green. the constructor Of
tho new Congressional Library, and Dr. John s
Billings, the director of the NewYork Public
Library The twelve architects whose sketches In
the preliminary competition are deemed the most
meritorious. will each receive a premium Of xNO
Tho committee VIII choose from The 80 -.