Evening star., 1901-04-23
Entrance and Delivery Hall.

IN she hrSt or principal story the central
pavilion contains the entrance and general
delivery hall. in which also are the stair
Gases 70 the second floor. Here also are
'he s"-cdlied reception room. which Is real
ly an annex of the open-shelf room. public
Catalogue room and the librarians office
Behind the long delivery counter for the
service of books to readers is wide mas
sage TO the book stack that occupies the
"h"ir north end of this pavilion extending
hp through both the first and second stn
It's on one side Of this passage is located
Catalogue room. "
me east wing is used as the general pub-
-, "u1HS room ana the west wing is di-
Ntoed equally by partition between the
Shh'lfeh reading room and the. main open-
Shell room The latter and the two readtny
rooms VIII be provided with wall shelyiDS 2
sI4 around within easy reach of resders
There Is considerable fexibiIity in the araa
available for the open-shelf and ChiIdren.s
rooms, which are among the notable taa
lures 1f the new building. Ample provision
is nade for future expansion In these two
directions. wv
In the second story the central Davi,io,
contains memorial or exhibition hall.
several private study rooms and the trus-
tees room The east wing in this story
contains the public reading room for no
riodicdls and newspapers and the west
wing may also be used as a reading room
but Is designed as a lecture or class room
lI'i' are allOSetner thlrty-SiX rooms and
HaiS- OF winch seventeen are in the base
meit ten in the first story and eight in
the second story, besides the main hook
room. or book stack. occupying the north
end OF the central pavilion and, as stated
extending from the tirSt-story floor 10 the
roof
In making the reyisions of the plans no
change was permitted in the Arrangement
and PropOrtionate of spaces in the
building or in it's general architectural de-
sign Inc exterior stonework is somewhat
palmer than originally proposed, but of a
good quality OF white marble, and the Mil
ford pink granite for the basement is re-
tained- The roof will be covered with black
SLATE. with the sEeet-metal work thereon OF
s"iEtHized lron' and the cutters, Hastings
and nat portions are to be copper.
Building Fireproof.
The building will be entirely freproof
throughout solidiy and strongly construct
ed. and In every way a truly monumental al
and permanent structure appropriate for
its purposes a public library building In
public square. The building will p, we'll
Furnished and ready for use except as to
books and materials for the library proper
The book stack will be made entirely of
steel and iron and with glass or marble
decks. 1t will be five stories of seven feet
each in height. and have a capacity of
about 264 so volumes
Although the several revisions OF plans
caused some SIX months time TO be lost in
the commencement of construction il Is
expected that the building will be COM
pletod within the time originally fixed by
law March 3. 1902
Evidently the library is to be housed in a
b''iIdinS exceedingly attractive arcnitec-
turaiiy. and q delight to the reading pub
lie as a model lending library in the con
<cnI' nee and thoughtfulness of its interior
srfa"Scments Especial attention is TO be
GireE To the development of those features
o. work which, under the law are 10 char
ecterize the Washington library. 1t Is to be
C"nspicuously a lending library. with nota-
PIE development of the open-shelf room a
characteristic feature of the model rao,(er,,
library. and marked. as already noted, by
the special attention paid to the children :
room and TO all departments which will
Increase the usefulness of the library in
performing its primary function, in the
words of the law creating 1t, "as a sup.
Tlement of the public educational system
Of said District"