New-York tribune., 1908-01-12
4 MODEL INSTITUTION.
Librmy's ddminisfrotiVe System
NOreI Mechanical lids.

is at last completed and in operation
The numerous ingenious mechanical devices
for facilitating the transaction Of business IN
big library viii be only one part Of carefully
elaborated system Of management which Is de-
signed to make the library second to none In
the world So complete in every detail are 10 De
Tho eouirrnent and service that the three hum
dred rooms vaults ard halls, so far as admins
tration goes are to be as closely in touch with
one another and with the directors office as
the whole we're housed in small chamber.
No matter where the book a reader calls for
stands on the sixty-three mile stretch Of shelves
In the big main stack room it can be as easily
reached under the careful system now in process
of elaboration as if it were close at hand in the
little case above the head librarians desk.
The labor saving patron of the new library
will enter through doors at the basement Level
Of the 42d street side. where elevators will lift
him to the reading the top floor.
Reaching the big public catalogue room in |
the centre of the third floor. the reader, after fill
fng out his Slip will hand it in at little cage
like apartment at the rear Of the catalogue room
and directly over the stack room The attendant
will place the slip inside tiny pneumatic tube |
traveller and in a instant it will be whisked |
away by compressed air to the right attendant IN
charge of the right one Of the seven floors of
book stacks below, and unless the book is an
extremely difficult TO get or is already in |
use, il will be shot up almost before the reader
has time to return to his seat-at the outside. |
probably within five minutes from the time the |
slip handed in.
This will be accomplished by contrivance
far in advance of the present process of raising
and lowering a wooden box filed with books be- |
tween a pair of wooden uprights by pulling a |
rope hand over hand The wooden box and rope |
will be suppanted by four electric conveyors, or
elevators, and touch of an electric button will
suffice to set the system in operation There
will be no shouting of orders up the elevator
shaft no piercing whistles sounding through |
tubes system of subdued electric signal bells |
will take the place of these antiquated make |
shifts. There Will be loud calling of readers
names Numbers will be automatically reg
istered upon annunciators in plain view of all
readers, and attendants will deliver books to
those who have been thoughtful enough to place
their seat numbers on the call slips
Just careful attention has been paid to
every mechanical detail of every other portion of
New York's big library building as has been
lavished upon its reading room service. In the
basement on the 10th street side provision has
been made for hospital for sick books in the
form of a complete printing office and binding
plant
The printing office planned for the library is
to be in every respect an up-to-date one !
equipped with linotype machines and modern !
presses. Double doors nave Deen ItteQ 10 iHe
workroom doorways in order to deaden the |
sound made by the machinery in operation.
The most complete and convenient means Of
heating and ventilating have been adopted. |
These systems are absolutely separate from and !
Independent of each other, and have been |
worked ont to such nicely that every room in
the entire building may be kept at different
temperature if desired.
Not broom will be used in keeping this Won
derful library spck and span and free Of dirt
and dust from cellar to attic One of its features
Is a complete vacuum sweeper system, and this |
will probably be utilized for the cleaning of the
books and stack room shelves completely do |
ing away with the oldtime understanding |
brushes and dustcloths.
An arrangement for receiving books has |
been worked out which the library authorities |
consider ideal Through entrance the !
Fortieth street side Of the building delivery |
trucks Will pass into the open south court di- |
rectIy back of the maiE portion of the building. |
From there the books will be conveyed to the |
catalogue department on the second floor. Prop |
erly catalogued, they will next pass to the |
accession room just beyond and to the
the same floor There record of each book
and it's date of accession will be made, after |
which the volumes Will be passed along, 10 take |
their places in the great stack room.
This stack room is of the striking fea-
lures Of the library, and constitutes mechan-
-