New-York tribune., 1908-01-12

are as follows: Cellar. 13 feet, basement IS
feet; first floor, % feet inches; second floor, 1s
feet: third floor. ceiling height, II 70 3 feet;
main reading room, 80 feet The area covered
by the library. including the boiler and engine
room but exclusive Of the open south court, Is
115OOO square feet, and the cubic contents are
O3sOOOO cubic feet The general form ot the
building is rectangular. with two interior courts.
Of which one. that at the northern or I'D street
side, is to be fncIosed under a glass roof and
used as the circulation department Inere are
four floors above the cellar
The sides and front Of the library are com
parativeiy low, the top floor being lighted BY
sbyIight, while the centre and rear part, bu1t In
the form OF a letter IT, and containing The
main reading and catalogue room, rises much
higher and is lighted BY big windows The
main book stack room occupies the larger par'
of the rear Of the building for the height OF the
basement and the first and second floors. Above
it. on the third floor. is the main reading
room.
The basement, although so designated oy the
architects is really the first floor Of the build
;ne 50 far as the business OF the library
is concerned The entrance is midway Of the
building on the 42d street front and gives
direct access to the lending delivery room, or
circulation department. which is 70 be in the
covered north court Of the building
Along the Fifth avenue front to the south on
this floor and extending along the 10th street
side to the driveway entering the south court
midway of the building are the bookbindins
shop, binders stores. printing Office composing
room and press room Across the corridor from
tho Fifth avenue front is q luncheon room for
employees Of the library.
The principal entrance to the first foor is that
on Fifth avenue, which gives direct access 10
the rotunda. with its floor, walls and cel4ing az
of white marble Marble stairs on either side
lead 70 the floor above, and through marble
arches straight ahead across the corridor Is the
big exhibition room. the finish OF which Is also
largely Of marble At the right OF the rotunda
as one enters is the technical science reading
room. filing the northeast corner OF that hoor-
Across the corridor from. this room are the
reading room for the blind. the elevator hal
and lobby Toward the rear, on the 42d street
side or this floor. are two small reading rooms
and back OF them. in the northwest corner of the
floor. IS a big room devoted TO patents Stairs
from the 42d street entrance on the basement
floor reach the first floor midway Of the 42d
street side,
At the left Of the rotunda as enc enters from
Fifth avenus IS big periodical room occupy
ing the entire corner 70 10Th street. Across the
corridor from this are several small rooms
among them a reception room
The 10th street side Of this first floor Is prac-
ticauy given Up to the administration Of the
library. and there are the private and business
Offices OF the superintendent. the working room
Of the clerks. the office of the chief OF circula-
ton and. in the southwest corner. a big receiy-
ing and checking room. Between this room and
the patent room on the 42d street side OF the
building. and hack OF the two courts and the
exhibition room, lies the stack room. running
straight up past the second foor TO the public
reading room on the third floor.
IN tba ssCo-d roO- a. +ba rf9E+ ~ 4o,s street