New-York tribune., 1908-08-13

Ainsworth Rand Spofford was the son of min
ister and was born at Gmanton N H. septem
- io-'- ne received a classical education at
nome under private tutors and early deveIoped
iove Tor literature and books that gave direction
10 MS future career When onIv ninataa, ,-e.-s
oiu ne Went TO Cincinnati and started in business
as bookseller and publisher He studied mod
ih iahsuases' engaged in literary pursuits in his
leisure time. and of the founders of the
Literary Club OF Cincinnati I'm 1850 Nine years
later he became assistant editor Of The Cincinnati
Daily commercial" Going to Washington in 1851
Mr. opoHord was appointed by President Lincoln
nrst assistant librarian of the Library of Com
sFess ana in 1854, upon the resignation of Mr.
Stephenson he was made librarian in chief a most
he held until 1897
when Mr. Spofford took charge of the library II
mad not fully recovered the effects of the de-
structiVe fire of 1885, and contained only 900 vol
ulhes- In little more than thirty years there
after II had increased tenfoId and had far out
grown the space allotted TO it in Capitol which
ahorded shelf room for only 100000 of the 725 600
DOCKS The alcoves and floors were piled with vol
ufnes and documents, while the 100000 pamphlets
and the other miscellaneous copyrighted matter
FOUND asylum in the crypt. The librarians desk
was surrounded by heaps of newly arrived books
Tor which there seemed to be place. and the an
nual accessions more than edualled the total num-
per on the shelves when Mr. Spofford first took
hold. To this apparent and even actual chaos the
only absolute guide was the remarkable memory
or the librarian in chief. which was a perpetual
subject for wonder and comment
AS early as 1872 Mr.. Spofford urged on Congress-
'he absolute necessity Of speedily providing suit
able building for the library, with space for at
least 100000 books. It was not however until
1885 that the pressing of the library were the
subject of legislation by Congress- which. as
amended two years later. provided for the large
and beautiful structure in which the library has
been housed since 1897
Before Mr.. Spofford became librarian no reports
hao been made to Congress. and the act which
Quired copy OF every book protected by copy
right TO be deposited in the Library of Congress
had been repealed in 1859 On Mr.. Spoford's ur-
gent recommendation, in 1865 this requirement was
restored. AS the copyright records were, at that
time. kept by the differentgstates there no
record in Washington TO show what books were
due, and few received. In 1S70--accordingly,
Mr.. Spoford's suggestion, all copyright records
transferred to Washington and the duties of
register of copyright were added to those of the
librarian. The result was at once apparent in the
rapid increase in the size of the library and after
a time in some confusion in the accounts and
records of the librarian. An investigation held
in 1896 by the committee the library, whose
port exonerated Mr.. Spofford of any Intentional
wrongdoing and laid the blame the "compli-
cation of duties imposed upon Mr.. SpoTord" by
Congress and on his inadequate method Of book
keeping. register of copyrights was appointed
TO relieve Mr. Spoford of this uncongenal and per-
picking work. In 1897. in view of Mr.. Spoford's
advanced years and Of the increased labor of in