El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-14
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

ordinarily be possible for an educa-
tiOnal Institution.
The Chicago university library now
occupies the best buildings Of the kind
ever erected in the world They were
endowed as a memorial to DR.. william
Rainey Harper. the late president OF
the university, and represent distinct
type OF the university library Dr.
Harper believed that the university
library should be a department library
with a special building for each SUD
ject- The new library buildings now
known as the William Rainey Harper
Memorial library carry out this idea
to its fullest extent. It includes six
buildings devoted to the following sub
5ects: History, technology, natural sci
ence, classics, languages and Literature
Each Of these is provided with the
latest equipment OF that special sub
ject In addition TO these special de-
partments. this library includes nu-
merous collections OF many kinds
Harvard Is Oldest
The Harvard university library,
which Is the Oldest in this country, has
lately been placed in new building
valued at $500. 900, which contains
many Of the improved features Of IL
brary architecture. Harvard library
was founded In 1881 but was destroyed
by fire in 1854. 1t has large endOw
ments and is constantly receiving pr1-
Vate donations. It has well rounded
collections Of books on all OF the sub
and is especially rich in American his
tory, maps and folk lore
The new building OF the Yale univer-
sity library, which cost $500, 900, has
an octagOnal reading room, with an
exceptionally handsome staircase lead
Ing to the reference room on the sec
Ond floor. The windows in this library
are y fest from the floor and the light
In the reading room is spoiled BY the
elaborate stained glass memorial win
don % hHnn~ ~
Yale library contains about 100000 vol
umes. including a special law library
and a large collection OF church music
and foreign missionary data
The library attached TO the Column
bia university OF New York has the
distinction OF being the first to estab-
hsh a training school for Librarians,
and, in this way, is entitled to q large
share OF the credit for the Development
Of the library movement In the cOun-
try. 1t has nearly 500, eco volumes. in
Guiding several special collections. Co
lumbia university library IS modern
in all Of its arrangements and con
tains many valuable collections in spe-
ctal subjects which make 1t popular for
post graduates doing any line OF work.
The Cornell university library contains
over SOC, 600 volumes and is celebrated
as having the finest Dante collection
IN the world. besides several other col
lections OF history and politics
There are between 400 and 500 col
lege and university libraries in the
United States, exclusive OF those Of the
preparatory. schools, and most Of them
are housed in beautiful new buildings.
The general tendency OF the American
university and college library IS toward
great freedom Of access to the books
Tor both instructors and students
Many Memorial Buildings
Quite a number OF college and uni
versity Libraries have memorial build
IL 81
brary IN Chicago in Importance IS the
John Hay memorial library, connected
with the Brown university OF PrOvi-
dence, R. l. This IS built on the p
plan. so popular in modern library
architecture. 1t contains about $50. OOO
books and has a reading room accom-
modat1ng $50 students. The Billings
Memorial nbary OF the university Of
Vermont is more decorative in design
than the majority Of Libraries and its
! interior, with its luxurious furnishings,
lacks the air of auster1ty usual in
buildings devoted to this purpose.
The university OF California library
possesses over 100, 600 volumes and IS
strong in It's department OF Slavonic,
Semitic and Oriental literature 1t has
also an excellent astronomical library
This last collection, however, does not
compare with that Of the college OF the
city OF New York. which was the re-
ctpient OF the entire scientific library
OF the late Simon NeWcOmb. There was
some dissatisfaction regarding this be-
quest Of Prof Newcomb's on the part
OF those who thought that his library
should have gone to a more public in
stitutiOn. Ii Is now thought, however.
that the beQuest was wisely made,
since the college will give the neces-
sary care 10 the collection Of books
and its advantages are easily available
to any serious student.
The archaeological department Of the
library of the university OF Pennsyl-
vanis is in some respects the most
complete OF any library in this coun-
try. Il is especially rich in data re-
garding the Aztecs and the early civ
ilizatiOn OF North and Central Amer