El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-04

AS a model public library in a city
of moderate size. we may take that OF
Providence. newly housed at a cost
exceeding $3.50, 900, of which more than
$4,000 was a gift from the late Mr.
John Nicholas Brown. Unlike the
New England rule, it's maintenance is
only in part municipal, with coll
slant stream of gifts testifying to the
esteem and affection of it's public. This
institution is chosen because it incOr-
pOrates the best modern practice in its
administration with some original fea-
lures of great merit, the whole COLI
Quoted with a courtesy, an enlightened
helpfulness. not exceeded in the world.
First as to its architecture; the
plans were worked out in daily consul
tation with the librarian, Mr.. William
E. Foster; the intention has been to
design rooms of such form and size
as will best accommodate the various
departments of the library. and so
group these together as to promote the
convenience of the public and the eff
cheney of the staff Instead of the old
time method of beginning with an Or
namental shell, and dISpOSing the in
terror to fit that shell, the interior
has first been carefully thought out,
and then an exterior of great beauty
has enwrapped it, discovering, as in
be the natural effiorescence of utility.
AS becomes a public building in
thriving and wealthy city, the mater
iais throughout are rich and the deco
ration sumptuous, presenting withal
an unceasing lesson in that good taste
which is the prime element in good
art. The hazard of fire is minimized
by disposing the boilers for heat and
power in a separate building, and by Il
construction throughout of fire-proof
marble, stone. and encased steel; the
lighting is electric, preserving the
purity of the air; the successive floors
of the book-stacks are of thick glass
to promote cleanliness and diffuSe
light Swift electric lifts convey the
books from four of the stack-stories.
When a volume is to be busted, it is
stuck over bell-mouthed tube,
through which a quick exhaust bears
away every particle of dust
From the handsome vestibule, we
enter the large room devoted to child
rem. The best books for the young are
ranged upon IS open shelves, and the
tables are covered with illustrated
magazines and papers. A lady of tact
and training is in charge to aid the
young folk in selection, and to answer
the questions they are invited to ask,
"a privilege freely exercised when
their reading has to do with their les
sons. Month by month, collections of
books on birds or trees, on foreign
lands or local history, are placed on
the shelves, with intent to put a unit
ing thread through reading which 9TH
erwise might be haphaZard and desul-
tory.
Adjoining this large room for child
rem is smaller apartment where, on
giving due notice, teacher may bring
her class. and find on table the chief
books in the library bearing on the
theme of study, Whine the walls dis
play every map and picture available
for its calculation.
We pass now to the main library. Its
very full reference department is free
ly accessible; it contains many cata-
logues to tell the inquirer in what 9TH
er libraries he may find books. not to
be had here. By judicious plan, this
library together with those of the
Athenaeum and of Brown university
cooperate in their purchases, SO as not
to duplicate costly works seldom in
demand; the three institutions jointly
publish a monthly bulletin of Access
sions and other useful information.
Beyond the limits of the Providence
libraries, Mr.. Foster exerts himself to
procure loans from larger collections.
whether in Boston, Washington, or
elsewhere. This method is gradually
becoming more and more general
.--roughout the union, so that today
the common store of literature held by
public, university, and state libraries
is measurably at the service of stu
dent anywhere in the land.
An admirable feature of the main
room of Mr.. Fosters is its informa-
ton desk, where an officer of wide
knowledge. long experience, and the
patience of Job endeavors to reply to
every query. AS a rule, these ques-
lions are simple enough, coming as
they do principally from visitors I'M
familiar with indexes, catalogues. and
photographers. At times. as when an
inquirer asks how many toothpicks
are exported from this country
little delay is involved in the neces-
sary correspondence. But taking one
day with another the "posers'' are
few, much fewer than one would i'm
agine; and the desk, by it's standing
invitation, has a notable effect in
furthering the usefulness of the lib
rary. and in giving an enlarged field
to many work of reference already
in the homes of visitors. Opening
from the main library is the periodi-
cal room. Here the shelves for the
racks rise directly from the floor
economizing space where space is
precious. The magazines equally
with the filed newspapers are hospi-
tably at the disposal of the public.
We return to the library proper
and ind its most striking department
to be industrial. Providence is a city
famous for its varied and ingenious
manufactures; its machinery ma
chine tools, measuring instruments.
silver-ware, and textiles are export
ed to every quarter of the globe.
every industry in the city has been