The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-30
. CHAINED THEIR Books.
Methods Resorted to by Librarians of the
Middle Ages.

Middle Ages.
In a paper on the Libraries Of the
Middle Ages" recently read by T. @.
Jackson before the Royal Institute OF
British Architects. the lecturer said
that buildings specially to hold their
libraries were first erected by the uni
versities and colleges. The oldest
structure Of the kind in England. per-
haps In Europe, Is the old library of
the University of Oxford, which still
retains many features of its original
form. This structure. rarely seen by
visitors, and e.en unknown by the ma
jority Of oxford men, is a two-storied
building situated on the north side of
the choir of st. Mary's church, adjoin-
ing the tower at one end, and separat-
ed from the body of the church by a
narrow our yard. Having glanced at
the way book were kept, used and lent
at oxford prior to the erection of this
building, the lecturer gave a sketch OF
it's foundation by Gotham. bishop of
Worcester, about 1920. and some Incl
dents i'm it's early history, following
with a description of the interior, fur
niture and general arrangements. Long
desks were placed at regular intervals
at right angles TO the walls. A bench
was fixed in front OF the reader. and
a window came between each pair of
desks to light that pew or cell. Every
volume had a metal slip riveted to the
front edge of the board, forming one
cover, to which was attached a light
iron chain of the requisite length, haV-
ing at the other end a ring. This ring
ran pom an iron rod which was car
ried along the top OF the desk, and was
secured at the end by a hasp and a
paddock to prevent the ring being
drawn off. The foundation of Bishop
Cobham's library was succeeded short
ly afterward by that of the library of
Durham college. Oxford. by Richard
de Bury. Bishop of Durham 13S5-f5).
The books bequeathed by De Bury to
the college were kept for many years
in chests under the custody of scholars
deputed for the purpose. At the begin
ming Of the 18th century a library was
built and regularly furnished with book
cases or settles inclosing pews or studies
between them where the books were
chained. When Durham college came
TO an end at the dissolution, its old
buildings were utilized by Its success
sor. the present Trinity, and the old
library of Durham college still serves
as the library of Trinity college. VIII
liam of Wykeham's new college at
oxford set the fashion for all collegiate
buildings at either university in provis-
ion being made for every department.
and t~henceforward every college had
it's library as an essential part of its
| plan. Though books were few the room
devoted to them had 20 be large, the
claiming OF the books to the desks
making IL possible to have only a few
on each desk. Soon, as the books In
creased. shelves were formed behind
the desks, tier by tier, until at last. in
the 18th century. they reached the cell
ing. The appearance of the fittings be-
fore that time could be well seen in
| the old library of Merton college. OF
chained libraries there were at least
three extant In England. that belong
ing to Hereford cathedral being the
most ancient and perfect. Old chairs,
hasps and staples belonging to Here
ford-specimens of the actual fittings
of a medieval chained library-were
exhibited by Mr.. Jackson. and the
method of fxation explained. All
Saints church. Hereford. n VIM
borne minister also possess chained IL
braries. But the finest In the world
is hat OF San Lorenzo. Florence. the
great hall OF which was designed by
Michael Angelo in 1924. said TO contain
the collection formed by several gen.
erations of the Medici. The lecturer
then touched on the difficulties of con-
sulting books in the old chained libra
ries. Shelves for the ever increasing
number Of books had been provided.
but desk accommodation remained as
before. One student occupied on a
volume prevented three or four others
getting access to the books. This led
to the library rooms being enlarged.
Chains were bought from the Bodle-
ian library as late as 1I5l: IL was not
until 1857 that this method of securing
the books was misunderstanding
j American.