Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-08

The formal opening Of the new public
library Of the metropolis Is promised this
month though the date has not been set.
The building has been under way for ten
years and is regarded as the most beauti-
full structure In the city II stands on
a plot OF ground running from Fortieth
TO Forty-second streets and from Fifth
avenue to Bryant park. This site is prob
ably worth 100000 The library has cost
more than 5000 900. making a total invest
ment Of approximately $21. 1000; which
shows that even sitting down to read a
book comes awfully high in New York.
The library is 800 feet long on Fifth
avenue, and go feet deep from Fifth
avenue. The reading room on Bryant Park
side OF the building is the largest apart
ment OF the kind in the world. II Is 2O5
feet long, seventy-seven feet wide and fifty
feet high. Beneath this reading room is the
main stack room, divided into seven stories,
The stack room is fitted with sixty-three
miles Of shelves, capable OF holding 200,
600 volumes. other rooms for books are
capable Of holding about 10000 volumes.
In addition to the main reading room, there
are 200 smaller rooms. The new building is
naturally fire proof. The book shelves are
Of bronze, and that material, with marble,
%
There are $4,000 cubic feet of marble in
the library, and wood is used only in the
wainscoating OF certain rooms.
Library is epitomlzed in the Inscriptions
that occupy the three spaces on the attic.
On the. left are the words. The Astor
Library, founded by John Jacob .Astor for
the advancement Of useful knowledge 1s4s."
IN hA I orxs
founded by James Lenox, dedicated to
history literature and the fine arts" On
the right plaque: THE Tilden Trust,
founded by Samuel Jones Tilden to serve
the interests of science and popular edu-
cation, 1885" There are two inches on
each side of the entrance, intended for
fountains. Within them are to stand
statues by Frederick Macmonnles. one is
described as Beauty Overwhelming Ugli-
ness, and the other as Truth Overcom-
ing Falsehood." The main hallway which
all visitors from Fifth avenue first enter,
Is entirely OF white marble, the ceiling be-
Ing OF the same material White marble
staircases at either end of this entrance
hall lead to the upper floors on the south
half Of the front of the building and ex-
tending around the Fortieth street side are
the administration offices of the library.
On the part Of the front Of the library
running toward the Forty-second street
pavilion there are small reading rooms
On Forty second street there Is the en-.
trance for those who use the circulating
library. This library is to be situated in
the basement on the north side At a cor
responding point on the Fortieth street
side there is the service entrance. The
reading room is Ss5 feet long, the whole
length Of the building at the rear. 1t Is
fifty feet high and over seventy-five feet
wide. 1t is lighted naturally by fifteen
long windows. and at night by eighteen
Renaissance electroliers Books of refer
ence are to be had in this room. A wooden
screen deliberately carved in the Rensis-
sance style conceals the desks Of the IL
brarians, and the lifts that bring the books
up from the stack rooms A gallery run
ming about the room supplies additional
space for books. The vaulted ceiling Of
this room is in green, blue and red.