Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-09-29
THE NEW LIBRARY
ITS USES, PLEAS
IRE AND PROFITS
Written by Miss Mildred Mac
Kinnon and Read Before the
Last Meeting of Federation.

For the past few years the people
of Grand Rapids have been agitating
the question of providing themselves
with a new library building, and as
there is a prospect of Mr.. Carnegie
helping US in this matter, under the
same terms and considerations as he
has offered ali other towns in the
United States we are doing all in
our power to further and encourage
this project with the hope that in
the near future our ambitions may
be realized.
Every enterprising town of this siz
should have a proper building in which
to keep its books. After correspond
ing with Miss Stearns of Madison
on this subject, and reading the book
which she kindly loaned me, I will
try to give you some idea Of what
our wants are and what a building
suitable for our population should
be.
A desirable location is the first
requisite, and I should suggest a
site on the river bank in a quiet nei-
ghborhoOd easily reached, a corner
lot is a decided advantage, and one
large enough to allow at least twenty
lt6G CISdI space. oil Ctl Ouuu Tie UuIlu-
ing for the purpose of light and eX-
tention. 1t is also important to con-
slider surroundings, not only for the
present but for the future as we'll,
since certain industries and business
occupations are very undesirable neigl
bors for a library. The location also
helps to determine the style Of
architecture. It is considered the
10 ih1eor 81
inviting, homelike, and social inSti-
tuition, rather than an architectural
monument The building fund viii
also affect the design, the classical
being more expensive than the Eng
lish Gothic and some other styles.
The first principles of library ar
chitecture are simple-the following
are a few points brought out by the
American Library Association and de
serve our attention.
Every library building should be
planned especially for the kind of
work to be done and the community
to be served.
The plans should provide for flu
ture growth and development. A Ii
brary should be carefully planned for
economical administration.
Public rooms should be planned for
complete supervision by the fewest
possible attendants. There should be
good, natural light in all parts of the
building.
No shelf should be placed so high
as to be out of reach of a person of
medium height.
Instead of the old type of library
that was merely a place to store
hOn - r.
sible, We have now a library which
is the center of all educational and
social work of a community, reQuir-
ing special rooms for children in
connection with its work for school;
class and club rooms,-for the en-
couragement of study clubs and other
educational purposes with an audience
room to be used by all clubs fol
meetings in social and civic works.
Lecture rooms for public addresses,
reading rooms we'll stocked with all
current magazines, and very often
libraries have rest rooms for farm
ers.
The town now has no such advant-
ages,-no place where citizens can
meet together to talk over public af-
fairs-no place for the general advanc
ment of knowledge.
The modern librarian expects to
conduct classes and to aid unframed
readers; all of these changes in the
character of the work have affected
building plans, and resulted in the
modern type Of library, with books
in every room and special rooms set
aside for children and for students.
Since the past few years have
brought such changes we may expact
greater ones in the future We must
therefore build for extension and diff
ferent views Of library work, emitting
partitions which will make changes
expensive. if not impossible. The
building should not be cut I'D into
small rooms, prevents light, yentifa-
ton and oversight, as well as change
but should consist insofar as possible
in one large room for the first floor
and all other rooms on the second
floor or basement. Another point in
connection with this is that it must
be remembered that the first purpose
Of the building is to care for the
library The educational work of
which will tax its capacity to the
utmost. Museums are often connect
ed with libraries, but only when the
town is large enough to maintain