New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-23
LIBRARY OPENS TO-DAY
Admits Public Tomorrow, After
Ceremonies This Afternoon.
Wal lie EXCEEDS 100000
orss;dent Taft, Governor Dix
and Mayor Gaynor to Take
Part in Exercises.

,,. vears after the cornerstone
,otd bv Mayor Seth Low. the formal
va" ceremonies of the New YORK PUP
,nrarv will be held at 2 o'clock TINS
80, and tomorrow morning the
ar, nutlic will be admitted for the
,;r,s 70 the building. The ceremonies
..ts afternoon will be held IN the mann
'n', fronting on Fifth avenue, and adj
,s.ion will be by special invitation only
the seating capacity of the LOBBY is
~..,,sd n six hundred persons
President Taft. Mayor Gaynor and Gov
- nix will all take part in the cere-
arias to-day. The opening prayer Will
:. nv Bishop Greer and The benediction
- Archbishop Farley. After the prayer
p;sbop Greer Thomas Hastings, OF
S..rsrA & Hastings. the architects Of the
'nsiro will deliver the keys TO the care
,ha CITY II was intended 10 have this
0'-oronv performed by John Carrere. who
the nrincipal spirit in the designing Of
ave- building. but he was run down by a
,.vicah and died before he could see the
,ounetion Of his greatest work.
park Commissioner Slower will make the
..o.cb in reply to Mr.. Hastings and the
Mayor will follow with another response
Or the people Of the city. John Bigelow.
,bo is now ninety-three years old. presi-
,.r, of the New York Public Library, As
80, Lenox and Tilden foundations, Will
roake q short speech. and George l.. Rives
one Of the trustees, will make the his
,orical address telling of the founding or
che three branches which are now COM
,,red under one roof and the inception of
,,a nresent building. Governor Dix VIII
,ollow Mr.. Rives with a speech on behalf
~ the state. and the last speaker will be
the President.
Though only six hundred persons will
ss admitted to the opening ceremonies. in
,d,ations have been issued 10 some fifteen
hundred others 10 inspect the building
after the formal ceremonies of opening.
The greatest care has been taken in issu-
ing these cards, and il is announced that
no cameras. canes or umbrellas can be
carried into the building.
The new library. which has been nine
wears under construction. has already cost
10000 600. and il is estimated that
100000 will be spent on II before IT is
finished while the land on which il stands
IS valued at $40. 900. Ii is a merging
of the Astor Library, which was incorpo-
rated in 1919; the LenoX Library. incorpo-
rated IN 1870 and the Tilden Trust. in
corporated in 1887. The total endowment
Of the three foundations is s3.446.5O0. and
the new institution will start with $4,000
books on its shelves In the next twenty
five years IL is expected that 100000
more books will be added. while provision
has been made to increase the present
card index Of 5000 600 cards to 10000, 600
cards
The new library is the largest single
building in the world devoted 10 library
purposes. II has a floor space Of $4,000
SQUARE feet. as against $4,000 square
feet in the Library Of Congress- in Wash
ington The architecture is blend of the
Italian and French Renaissance. and IT is
said by the critics 10 exceed any other
building Of its nature in the world for
combined beauty and utility II has ia
cli,ies never before attempted, and as a
masterpiece Of convenience is believed 70
be without equal There is reading
room for the blind, room for the chill
dren. with diminutive chairs and tables,
and there are eight private rooms for the
use Of scholars
The main reading room, on the top floor.
at the rear. is 295 feet long. II feet wide
and 50 feet high, with the ceiling painted
TO resemble the sky with drifting clouds.