The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-06-24
W|DENER
MEMORIAL.
LIBRARY
DEDICATION OF BUILDING AT
HARvARO-STRUcTuRE is GIFT
OF MOTHER OF HENRY ELkINS
WlOENER.

Widener Memorial library, ranking
third among the libraries OF this
country in the number OF volumes
which it will accommodate. was dedi-
Gated with simple exercises at Harvard
university today. The address OF
presentation was made by Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge. and the library
was accepted on behalf of the uni
versity by President A. Lawrence
Lowell
The monumental structure IS the
gift OF Mrs. Eleanor Elkins Widener
of Philadelphia in memory OF her
son, Harry Elkins Widener a menl-
Der of the Harvard class of 1907, who
lost his life in the Titanic disaster.
Specifically intended 10 house the
rare collection of books bequeathed
10 the university by Mr.. Widener,
the building was planned on a scale
to care for the entire Harvard IL
brary, with allowance for great en-.
largement in the number OF books.
The capacity of 100000 volumes,
with provision for extension to hold
100000. is exceeded in this country
only by the New York Public Library
and the Congressional Library.
The building standing within the
college yard near Massachusetts ave-
nue., is on the site of the old Gore
hall, the former library building, which
was torn down. In style and material
it harmonizes with the Colonial halls
in its immediate vicinity. The ex-
terror is of birck and limestone, with
long, square-headed windows, Roman
esque arches and Corinthian columns.
The outside measurements are 250
by 200 feet. Within the hollow
square of the structure is a court
yard, 10 by 100 feet. The princi-
pal entrance, on the north side, is
by thirty granite steps, through a
PoII4Io lOI Hcu ny lNSlNe lllleololV
Corinthian columns. The three high
doors are of glass and wrought iron
The marble colonnade of the en-
trance hall. and a broad marble stair
case lead directly to the central sec.
tion, where the Widener collection is
located. Within the vestibule are
two simple memorial tablets, and in
the entrance hall is a tablet placed
by the class of 1907 and bearing the
following inscription:
Harry Elkins Widener
A. p. 1907
Loved the books
Which he had collected
and the college
To which he bequeathed them
"He labored
Not for himself only
but for all those
Who seek learning"
This memorial
Has been placed here by his
classmates.
The memorial section consists OF
two rooms. On the south wall of the
inner room. which will house the
Widener collection, over marble
framed fireplace, is the portrait Of
Mr.. Widener, by Ferrier, the Paris
artist. The bookcases in this room
have plate glass shelves and bronze
sashes. The outer room includes the
office of the special librarian of the
collection, George p. Winship, who
served for twenty years as librarian
of the John Carter Brown library at
Brown university.
On the first floor are the Offices of
William C. Lane, the college librar-
ian, and Prof. Archibald c. Coolidge,
director of the university library: the
treasure room equipped with metal
bookcases and a room for the library
council. The stairways at the sides
lead to the reading room, 1872 feet
long. with soft-toned glass skylights:
the card catalog and delivery room
and the periodical room The book
stacks extend through eight low
studded stories. and space has been
reserved in the basement for two
more floors OF stacks. for future needs.
On the third floor are rooms for spec
ial collections and departmental Ii.
braries, a photograph room and a map
room. Seventy studies for professors
and 800 reading stalls for research
students, are placed close TO the
stacks.
The Widener collection contains
about 5000 volumes. All of these are
rare books. gathered by Mr.. Widener
through tireless search of this coun-
try and Europe. Among them are a
Shakespeare First Folio. a famous