Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25
LOCAL LIBRARY FACILITIES ST.

Many people of this city do not realize
the unusual privilege for literature culture
that IS open to them without a penny of
expense. The largest library on the west
ern hemisphere and one that Is probably
receiving more accessions and is being i'm
proved in various ways more rapidly than
any other book collection on earth has its
doors open every day of the week not only
during the working hours of daylight, but
also until the hour arrives when the aver
age citizen deems it necessary to be tuck
ed away in bed.
The doors of this great building are open
without expense to any one and perfect
piece of machinery. both human and COM
posed of an Intricate system of chutes.
pneumatic tubes. telephones and every
other library device is for the use of the
reader. These instrumentalities are as
much at the command of every one with
out distinction as to race nationality as
they are al the command OF the most IN
fiuential man in Congress, except that the
books must be read on the premises.
But when the visitor to the library lays a
card before the official al the circular desk
in the center of the big reading rotunda
of the Library of Congress, no question is
asked and the card is sent by pneumatic
tune TO the station IN the DOCK STACKS III
which the volume is to be found. There
the attendant takes the card and looks for
the book called for. When found the book
Is placed in a cable car attached to cable
system. and in a few minutes Ii falls gent
" on a cushion in the reading room, there
to be carried to the desk OF the reader who
ordered il. The process does not occupy
over 10 minutes generally. In that way
any Of million books is placed at the dis
position of the reader as completely as If
he owned the SG,tFsi,CoO building and HIM
self paid the salaries Of the several hun
dred librarians and assistants who are re-
quired TO operate this piece of machinery.
The great rotunda of the library is ar
ranged so that the superintendent, seated
on high platform in the center of the
space. has the entire place under his eye.
The reader has the service of about 2c0
librarians and assistants in one way or
another. There are in waiting in the va
rious parts of the book stacks attendants
whose business II is to be especially famil-
lar with the contents of that part of the
library over which they are given charge.
When a card calling for a book reaches
these assistant librarians they at once go
to the shelves and taking down the requir
I'd volume deposit it in the travelling car
attached to the travelling cable. and in a
few minutes it is dropped into the reading
room where 1t is delivered to the reader
The rules OF the library require that read
ers shall be at least sixteen years of age,
but in special cases this rule is varied to
bent on pursuing some particular course of
reading. As Il rule the readers occupy the
40 desks that are placed in circular form
about the rotunda, but readers who pursue
courses of reading for considerable length
of time are better accommodated in the
alcoves where there are thirty-six addi-
tional desks that they can occupy in great
er retirement
From In the morning until 10 o'clock at
night the main reading room is open to the
public every week day. and Sunday the time
IS cut down SO that the hours of the library
are from to 10 pm.
In the rotunda at q place convenient for
reference by the readers is a card catalogue
arranged to both author and subject by
which means the student can ascertain for
himself what books are available for his
special course OF inquiry.
To the man not versed in the methods of
the library this catalogue is wonder in IT.
self. 1t brings In the most convenient form
every book of the library within easy ref
erence for the reader. and that reader who
will affix to his order card the correct
designation for locating the books on the
shelves will get the volume more rapidly