Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-16

book stack, heating and lighting appa-
ratus-in short. everything but furniture
is limited to $3.50, 600 for the purpose of the
competition. The building must be thor
oughly fireproOf.
The commission prefers that the ex-
ternal walls be faced with marble, II, with
in the limitations of the cost of the struc-
ture. building of this material can be
constructed which shall furnish ample
areas for all the practical uses of mod
ern lending and reference library OF the
best type. Architects will, for the purposes
of the competition, base their designs upon
the use of marble for the exterior walls,
but the commission is not committed to the
use Of this material, and competitors are
therefore requested to state fully their
views as to the choice of materials and
their relative cost.
''All public. office and clerical rooms, in
Guiding book stack. should recei!e as much
daylight as possible although ii may be
necessary in the book stack to DEPEND to
some extent on electric lighting. The vim
dOws of all such rooms should be large and
unObstrUcted and extend nearly to the cell
ing. Those in the reading rooms should be
at least five feet. and not over six n seven
feet above the floor. The book stack should
be as evenly lighted as possible. u Is be
lieved that this can only be accomplished
with daylight by admitting 1t directly to
every space between shelf ranges.
THE book stack should be in intimate
connection and touch with not only the
lending and delivery desk, conveniently
placed near the main entrance on the main
floor, but with the cataloguers' room, pub
lie reading room, periodical and children 5
reading rooms and the librarians office, all
of which need the book store close at hand
Thus also. the librarian and attendants
may have direct supervision of all impor-
tant proceedings in the library. The cata-
4 loguers' and accessions rooms should be on
the first floor close to the stack and to the
receiving and packing rooms, the latter to
be Just below in the basement The cata-
loguers' room should also adio!n a REFER
ence library. easily accessible from, If not
a part of. the public reading room
wherever practicable the partitions
should be of glass, permitting free obser-
walton of rooms by the attendants.
In addition to the public entrance on the
main front, a basement entrance for BIZ
cycles etc. should be provided near It.
AT the rear or side a basement entrance
for receipt and delivery of books, etc, with
special reference to the service Of library
substations in the city, should be located.
and another entrance for the engineer and
wOrkmen, and supplies. etc.
THE book stack should begin at the first
floor and extend to the roof. with decks at
intervals of seven feet, and IL may be prac-
ticable to extend 1T one tier into The base
ment: but space must be saved for the
warming and ventilating apparatus of the
stack.
Schedule of Rooms.
THE rooms suggested for the first floor,
If practicable. with their approximate areas.
are as follows:
Book room .....-........ 5000 SO. IT. or less.
There should be present provision for at
least 225 go volumes and a much larger
ultimate capacity. AS far as the symmetry
of the building and the limitations upon
its cost will permit the commission de-
sires book room covering a considerable
ground area and shelving as many books
as possible in stack tiers included within
the first story of the building. Designs are,
however admissible which place the stack
tiers in numerous stories, one above an
other to the full height of the building,
with a corresponding. reduction of the
ground area occupied. Full statement
should be made of the reasons which deter
mine the architects suggestions concern
ing the shape and size of the book stack
Lending department. 2 200 So. TT. or more
Delivery counter, seats for persons wait