Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-08
THE c0RAM LIBRARY.
4 Great Addition to til. Bates CAMPUS. Now
Nearly compietde.

Lewiston. Nc. Oct. 7-(SpeciaD-
Situated near the middle of the campus
is Bates hands3mest structurc-the
new Coram library, which il now hav-
ing its finishing touches put on. This
building, which seen VIII be c.mplated
md ready TO lie entered means 4 great
dca! for the COLLEGE. The basement az
the chapel. ii&tGorn hall. has ALWAYS
been used IS n place fo~ the library.
but since this is inCcnvenient and not
sufficient in size. the need Of n now
building for the library has long been
felt and Joseph Corams gift. made n
little over a year aga, which made the
library possible for the collcCe was
certainly . godsend.
From tt" outside the building pre-
s2nts Very striking appearance. be
ing constructed Of brick with wbitc
ston"wCrk for trimmings. Directly
over TIE large door at the entranca
which faces the West the inscription
"Ccram Library" is cut in stone.
Above this is Il panel engraved with
four artistic designs. The door is at
the center Of "A raised cement platform
to which granite steps lead. From this
platform ale iN large pillars, there be
ing two at each side &C the entrance.
tpcn entering the library one finds
first a small vestibule from which doors
with large glass panels open to a larger
inner vestibule. Here stairs lead to
the basement ana second noor. Next
to the larger vestibule is a large well
~ ai hi I'm l.,
stack-room for the books At each end
OF the vestibule two rooms adjon-the
reading and reference rooms. When
these two fine rooms are equipped with
all the leading periodicals and refer
ence books no doubt the students will
fully appreciate them and take ad-
vantage OF them. The place for the
prCsdent'e office has not been decided
upon bur probably will be on this floor
These four together with librarian $
room are the main divisions of the first
story.
The basement which is reached from
the inner vestibu!e by two stairways
and from the outside by two entrances
at the rear of the building is we'll built
and commodious. Here are several
large furnace room where there are
two. No. boilers for heating the build
irg. The room at the southeast corner.
and directly under the stack room on
the first floor is TO be used az sec
onl stack-room for the books
The second floor which is the hand
soonest part Of the interior Of the IL
brary is to contain at the north end
two seminar rooms. These will be vel!
equipped for special work with ad-
vanced students. Here also At the OPP
pusitc end is TO be the art room where
ali the work of this kind which Bates
possesses will be placed. From this
room may be seen Very picturesque
surroundings and when it is fitted out
no doubt will be a very pretty place.
In all there will be six rooms used
for library purposes, two seminar rooms
two reading and reference rooms, and
two stack -rooms for the books.
The library is finished throughout
with stained birch which is very hand
some. The staircases are also made of
stained birch covered with a coat of
varnish. Every part Of the building
will be furnished with both gas and
for lights.
In the hall on the first floor is a fire
extin-uisher. This consists of some
hundred feet of lar-e hose attached to
a faucet from which the water may be
forced to nearly every part of the
building.
The Coram library is what it should
he to meet the demands of a rapidly
growing college. 1t is in every respect
a thoroughly up-to-date structure.