New-York tribune., 1900-12-23
A SUPERB NEW LIBRARY.
THAT OF NEw-YORK UNIVERSITY ON
NORRIS HEIGHTS COMPLETED

tention has lately been attracted by the pro-
jected Hall of Fame. has now brought the mag
nifcent work of it's great library almost to- COM
pletiOn. Except for the placing of a few tables
and chairs and the installation of the electric
lighting apparatus. the whole library building
may be considered ready fOc the uses for
which it is destined. II is true that the number
of volumes actually stored in the various wall
shelves, stackrOOms and seminars does not ex-
ceed thirty-seven thousand. but the process Of
filling all these spaces to their utmost capacity
of million volumes must. of course, be re-
garded something to be left 20 the enterprise
of future generations.
Even in this age of enormous educational I'M
dertakings. the erection of library building to
store and provide facilities for the of one
million volumes is no small affair. The govern
ing body of the university has realized this. AMI
through Stanford White the architect has
given adequate aesthetic expression to the dig
nifty of the work The library building IS
octagonal in it's general plan. the reading room
forming circular space about which the Othef
rooms arranged symmetrcally and with ad-
mirably compact effect. This circular reading
room is approached from the entrance to the
building by a magnificent flight of steps con-
structed and walled in Indiana limestone, the
effect enriched by panels of veined italian mar
BILE The itself is seventy-three feet high.
measuring from the floor to the inner skylght of
nemara marble, with composite capitals in
white support the inner entablature. The di-
ameter of the room, measured from the centres
of these great columns. is seventy-three feet.
and the shafts themselves three feet five
inches in thickness at their bases. This leaves
a further space between the columns and ths
wall from the top of which the semicirculas
dome springs This wall is filed alternately
with the shelves of the reference library and
| columns and doors in bronze. with L
fine green patina, extending to the height of
the first small gallery overhead A circular
light, flush with the tesselated pavement of the
room about fifteen feet in diameter. covers the
centre of the room, and transmits the daylight
from the dome to the auditorium which Occu-
pies the floor below the reading room. The gen.
eral effect of reposeful richness and solidty pro-
duced by the combination of subdued green's in
the structural marble and bronze work of the
room is relieved by the dead white OF the
domed ceiling and it's entabature and by =
liberal use of bold Roman lettering in nscrip-
tiOns and many great names of literature ap-
piled the panellings beneath the bOokcaset
The lower entablature above the great columns
bears in bronze letters a ground of green
"favriIe'' mosaic the words from Milton's invoca-
tiOn in Paradise Lost: And chiefly. Thou D
| Spirit that dost prefer before all temples the
upright heart and pure instruct me- for Thou
knOwest. What in me is dark. iilumine; what Is
low raise and support" On the higher entabla-
ture is an inscription from the Book of job
The loan desk where students have books de-
lvered them for outside use. bears on ita
front a gigantic bronze tablet with the salutary
admOnition of Seneca. 'Multoque satius esi
l paucis te auctoribus tradere guam per multos
errare" cit is much better to give yourself over
to few authors than wander about over
many'O.
Everything in the arrangement of the reading
|, room studously designed for the attainment
the highest possible practical efficiency in re-
gard it's primary purpose. so that, in spite ot
all the splendOr of effect, one cannot forget that
, ! the place is first and foremost, an intellectual
workshop. This idea is carried out even to tha
furnishing of rubber tips to the legs of tha
| chairs to prevent screeching. and the requires
. ment that the library attendants shall weaL
rubber heeled shoes. 1t is seen elsewhere in tho
subsidiary apartments. The librarians office.
| splendid example of joiner's work in white ma
hOgany ard the chanceIlor's private room. with
oiled maple floor and San Domingo mahogany
panelled wainscOting both represent the last
? development of progress in material aptitude
for their purposes
| rhe amphitheatre arrangement of seats IN the
auditorium which occupies the space below the
! reading room. and the seats themselves are
: models of comfort OF the floors above the main
s floor. extending around the great central space