The San Francisco call., 1905-01-27
new LIBRARY
OPENS DOORS
Handsome Building, Made
Possible by Gift of Andrew
Carnegie, Ready for Use
INTERESTING EXERCISES
Story of Inception of Berke-
ley Institution Is Told
by Pioneer in Movement
INTERESTING EXERCISES
Berkeley Office San Francisco Call,
214S Center Street. Jan. 26.


With fitting ceremonies, in the pres
ence of throng of people that filled
the building to overfiowing, the new
Carnegie Public Library was thrown
open to the public tonight. Citizens
prominent in the social, political and
educational life of the town delivered
addresses, the history Of the library
movement In Berkeley was outlined
and an excellent musical programme
was given. Each feature helped to
make the occasion notable.
DR.. j. Edison Kelsey, who was instru-
mental in organizing the first public IL
brary in Berkeley, delivered what to
many was the most interesting address
of the evening. He spoke as follows:
In 1892 my brother and owned drugstore
where Greenhoods store now stands Berke-
ley was only small place, without many OF
the means OF entertainment which 1t now has
At that time some students in the university
@ Sere making their way BY thss ior Youns
men, who made their headquarters at my
store. was our Assemblyman. William Waste.
In the fall of that year there was sensation
when 1t was found out that a number OF
schoolboys were frequenting a certain billiard
parlor and there gambling and drinking. l
talked to Mr. Waste about IL and we decided
that had better write letter to the Berke-
ley Advocate, explaining that the boys nad
no place to meet except the DllflarQ pdIiOr
the street and that we thought 1t advisable
to fit up some with books and games
where the boys could have the proper ihffu-
ences about them away from home. So
After few preliminary meetings mass
meeting was held in Shattuck Hall. About
forty people attended. u Daniel Bishop was
elected temporary chairman. A permanent or
gapization was founded with Mr.. Waste as
president Mr.. Langston secretary and treas
briggs & Butterheid and had 1t fitted up.
We all helped In getting the rooms ready 10
open. some by gifts OF money. others py giIts
Miss Lucy Wheeler was the first librarian
Mr.. Layman offered to give a set Of Holmes
works # we would ho call It dhe Holmes Library
Little did l think when a few young men
began talking of library that 1t would
thirteen years be housed in such a magnificent
building as this.
The programme of the exercises fol-
lows:
Overture Hungarian Lustspiel." orchestra;
address. THE Beginning, DR.. j. Edison kel-
sey sole Miss Ethel Jones Nraat address,
SKID. orchestra; address, From 90 to o..
w. H. Waste; 1.-The Nottingham Hunt" De
Prof Leon j. Richardson; waltz Wedding Of
the Winds orchestra; Song of the Steepie.
Berkeley Quartet; address. The Carnegie Ia.
Schools: response, Thomas Rickard; The
Bundle Bees Berkeley Quartet; march. Bo-
henian Nights, orchesua.
The library building was made possi-
BILE by the gift of Andrew Carnegie,
who contributed $4,000, and by the
gift of land from Mrs. Rosa Shattuck.
The structure is built of sandstone and
brick, two stories in height, with red
tile roof. The basement contains
juvenile room modelled after that in the
famous Carnegie Library at Pittsburg.
This room will hold 10000 volumes. In
the same part of the library are
binder, dumb-waiter, bicycle room, JAM
itors room, furnace room, storeroom
and lavatories.
On the main floor is the periodical
and reading room. finished in golden
oak, as is the entrance. The reference
room, stack room and study room are
on this floor, the stack room having
capacity for 10000 volumes. Altogether
the building can contain $4,000 books.
The library's equipment was added to
this evening by gifts of books brought
by guests, each of whom had been
asked to contribute a volume upon en-
tering the building.