Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-19

iiIoSe lihpOIldu feature, was
added in 1857. This building is centrally
located and well adapted to library pur-
poses. 1t accommodates $50 readers, who
have access to 20.OOO reference books
| In comparison with the Library of Con-
gess, however. the British Museum is
Anticipated and clumsy in it's working
method. The old trolley used for it's
book distribution Is noisy and incon-
venient when contrasted with the quiet
working of the electric book carrier of
the Library Of Congress and other great
American libraries. The cataloguing and
other departments are equally backward.
Older, and in some respects more IA
NOUS, than the British Museum i9 the
founded in 1902 by Sir Thomas Bodley,
who donated 1000 volumes. In 1910 it
received the copy tax. This library is a
delight to the antiQuarians of all ma
tons. 1t contains 10000 manuscripts and
fine oriental collections and collections
of English incunabula and first editions
Its coin collection is one of the most val
liable In the world. This old library has
many quaint regulations, one of which
prohibits the use Of artificial light and
rooms and periodical room are in Radcliff
Hall. The library contains about 6OO, 900
books in addition to its manuscripts.
The Vatican library of Rome is one
founded by Nicolas v in 1447 who at
his death enriched it with 1900 manu-
scripts. It's present building was erected
by Sfxtus in 1888 In 1856 the famous
Urban library was added to it. Queen
Christiana Of Sweden gave it a special
collection Of valuable manuscripts and
books. and in 1746 the Ottoburne collec-
ton of 1852 German and Latin manu-
scripts. most of which were taken from
Heidelberg, was added. This library
contains the archives of the vatican, to
which no access is permitted. 1t is not
public library in the full sense since
written permission from a church dig
nitary is necessary for admission. It is
closed Sunday and on all saints days.
Pope Leo XIII added largely to the COL
lection Of rare antiques in this library,
and also took some steps toward making
the resources Of the Vatican library more
+
Saint Marks Library in Venice is re-
markable in that it has contained all the
old archives Of Ven
Archives for ice complete under
Ten Centuries. tmr,es IN ~, soma 'T ra-
spects the library movement has made
greater progress in Italy during the past
century than in any other European
country. The Italian librarians are more
enterprising, better informed profession
in most other countries, Notwithstanding
the fact that they are greatly hampered
by lack of funds
The leading library Of Germany is the
Royal Library at Berlin, although it is
not SO large as that at Munich. The
Berlin library was founded by Frederick
William In 1850 and received many gifts
from Frederick the Great. 1t obtained a |
copy tax in 1889. 1t was reorganized in
1855 and has made much progress since.
1t is centrally located, but poorly housed
in an old palace which has been jesting
ly referred to as 1.-The chest Of drawers
for Frederick the Greats papers," be-
cause of it's dull, uninteresting frontage
and the fact that it's early collections
Included SO many historic documents. |
Recently it was reported that it re- |
quired at least two hours to get book |
because OF it's Anticipated system. The |
Munich library was founded in the six |
teenth century, but the books were scat |
tered for safe Keeping during the thirty |
years war. It has a million and quarter |
volumes and is housed In model bui'd-