The sun., 1904-12-04
YALE'S OLD LIBRARIAN GOING,
ANDVITH HIN THE OLD LIBRARY
WILL GO ALSO.
Prof. Van Names work in Building Up the
Library From 10000 Volumes to Half
Million-Memories OF the Old Ii.
brary--PrOf. Schwab to Succeed Him.


Library From 1000 Volumes to Half
Q Million-Memories OF the Old Ii.
brary--Prof. schwab to Succeed Him.
NEW HAv EN-. Dec. 3.-With the departure
OF Prof. Addison Van Name. librarian
for the last forty years Of Yale University.
who has just sent In his resignation, TO
take effect at the end OF this year, the first
attack will be made on the old university
library building which for half a century
was the pride Of the professors Of the college
who helped TO raise it. The decree has
gone forth that the old must make way
for the new on the Yale campus, and already
plans are being considered for replacing
he old library building with new structure
which will be continuation Of the present
Chittenden library.
When Prof. Van Name was first appointed
librarian Of Yale the college books num-
bered about 10000. Almost all Of them,
except those Of the divinity school, were
+, ored in the little old ivy covered building
which was then the Eandsomest structure
on the campus.
II WAS designed in the Gothic ST vie, and
with its spires and steeples, its cathedral
windows and It's long narrow aisle down
he centre, with balconies and winding
stairs on each side, it WAS considered the
finest specimen Of the approved college
library then in this country
The books we're so arranged by Prof.
Van Name that the strictly college library
OF reference and text books occupied the
main portion Of the building. while the
two wings on the north and south were
given over to the Linonian and Brothers
Libraries.
The building was put up in Is4e and soon
afterward graduating classes began to plant
their class ivy about it, so that when Prof.
Van Name first took up his abode there he
found that the ivy had grown up to the win
dow lodges. Since then he has wat ched
the plants grow on the old building unit
they almost hide it from view and he has
seen new library grow up almost twice
the size of the old one over which the green
plants are now fast climbing.
Although greatly attached to the old
building and believing with many Of the
other professors that the new building
can never architeoturally replace it, it is
largely due to the efforts Of the retiring
librarian that the library has outgrown
its present home. So fast have the books
accumulated that the library consists OF
approximately half a million volumes.
Most OF the books have been acquired
by the university through the personal ef-
forts OF Prof. Van Name, who for the last
twenty-five years has been known the
country over as one Of the best buyers OF
books here or abroad. With q wide and
comprehensive knowledge of books Prof.
Van Name has combined an ability to
purchase at just the right time at the right
price. Many bargains have been added
to the library through the shrewdness of
Prof. Van Name. many OF them now in.
valuable. Especially is this true Of the
books on genealogy, in which line the
Yale library is second to none in this
country Historical works have always
been Of great interest to the Yale librarian,
and the library boasts unnumbered maga-
zines and works Of especial value to stu
dents in English and history which can be
found in no place outside OF London.
According to Prof. Van Name, the f,rst
donation Of money for the early Yale
library. a gift Of El0. established a bad
precedent. for later givers governed their
contributions accordingly. During q his early
connection with the library IL had an en-
dowment Of less than $4,000 which was
not materially increased for some time.
Then through the untiring efforts OF the
librarian small gifts began to come in. and
from 1892 until 1898 the income increased
fourfold. until now the endowment fund is
about 100000. The new Chittenden IL
brary building, built in 1890 at cost Of
sl2S,ooo which is only the beginning Of the
Eoia ,t ha tiitt ,,1t of
Prof. Van Names efforts for the institu-
ton.
Outside the circle OF the library's friends
Prof. Van Name is little known. Among
book lovers and those Immediately con-
nected with his profession he stands hardly
second TO any librarian Of the country.
OF very quiet and retiring disposition, his
greatest pleasure has been to watch the
library gradually expand until it has taken
rs place among the leading university
institutions Of the world.
The work entailed In gathering the books
and the funds for their purchase has been
great pleasure to him, but the executive
management of the institution he Is glad
20 turn over to his successor, Prof. John
Christopher Schwab.
Prof. Schwab jumps from the chair Of
political economy into the Yale library.
Ever since he successfully managed the
predicted that he would be called upon to
take a place in the university where his
executive ability would have a chance to
NE felt. He knows books and knows how
10 buy them. He is said to he morS familiar
with the library's needs than sly other
man here at Yale.
The same attention to detail that Prof.
,chwab put into everv plan Of the bicen-
tennial celebration. from the hanging OF
the first lantern to conducting President
Roosevelt to the farewell reception, is
needed in the management OF the Yale
library which has now become so COM
plicated that 1t needs especially good eSecu-
tive ability to carry along the work already
begun.
Prof, Schwab belongs to the younger
generation OF Yale, having been graduated
from college in 1888. In many ways he Is the
opposite Of the librarians who have pre-
ceded him, being especially alert and active
and capable Of passing quickly from one
thing TO another.
"THEY CATCHA Da TRAIN"