Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-06
Needs of and Recommend
datiOns for State library

Needs of and Rec0mmen,
dations for State Library
1t is probable that bill will be in
troduced at this session of the-Legis-
lature, through the chairman of the
Library Commission. asking for an ad-
dltion to the present quarters or that a
new building be erected. With all the
present available space overlooking
with the rapidly increasing books,
pamphlets, newspapers and records,
with more than half the Doks stored in
the attic and basement OF the capitol,
to reach which causes bother and delay,
point has arrived where the eff
ficiency of the institution is being inn
paired by these conditions and some
action for it's relief is imperative.
Unless one has taken the pains to
make a survey of the library, one has
little conception of the conditions per-
tanning at this time. For instance, a
member of the Legislature wishes to
find a file of some newspaper and look
up something of great Importance. he
is obliged to go into a cold storage"
room in the attic, dig under the caves
and after locating the volume, it must
be taken into some warm room so that
All of the bound volumes of all the
newspapers printed in this State are
tucked away in a place adapted best
for cold storage purposes.
Those behind the movement for a
new building point out that it should
be convenient to the Capitol, of har-
monious style and architecture, so
constructed as to house all the ma
terial belonging to it for a considerable
period of years to come and yet
planned to allow indefinite extension in
future without destroying the proper
lions.
1t has been RECOMMENDED by State
Librarian Rev. Henry z. Dunnack that
a commission be appointed to con-
slider the matter and an appropriation
of $4,000, as much of it as proves ne
cessary for the purchase of a site if a
separate building is decided on and for
the preparation of architectural plans
for it.
To give some idea of the great need
of something being done Immediately
it is only necessary to take from the
State librarians report some OF the
interesting features. The capacity OF
the main room with its furnishings al
this time is approximately 10000 VOL
umes. During the years 1876 S417
books were added, including pamph-
let's The bookcases in the main room
have been wholly inadequate in pro-
viding shelf room for the lihray at the
rate it has been growing. 1t has been
necessary to put into the store room
thousands of volumes which for that
reason are not easily accessible. In
1915, $4,000 volumes were taken from
the main room and stored in one of the
attic rooms. On the first floor under
meath the main library is 1.-The docu-
ment room. the capacity of which is
approximately $4,000 documents. This
room is used for the State publica :
tons, which are distributed by the Ii
brary and as the number of current
documents is at least $4,000 a year the
shelf room is hardly more than suf-
ficient for the publications as they are
received and sent out, as well as for
storage Of surplus copies for future
use. There is on the main floor of the
State HouscH>ano document store
room with q capacity Of approximately
900 volumes. In this room are
stored at least $4,000 documents con-
ssting of State publications and also
volumes which have been crowded out
of the main room on the second floor
1t has been the custom of the library
to preserve 90 copies Of each State de-
partment report for future use and as
those which are set aside each yeaI
according to this plan amount to APP
proximately 1900 each year the capac-
ity of this room will be exhausted in
1920.
Underneath the roof of the west
wing there is an attic store room in
which are placed $4,000 publications
of other states. They have been
stored on temporary shelves. Under
the porch over the entrance to the
State House there is another attic room
the capacity of which is $4,000 vol
umes and this is crowded with bound
newspapers, State documents, patent
office reports, etc. This room is in
conveniently accessible. For reference
use the newspapers at times are in
valuble, for the contain material which
cannot be found elsewhere. Persons
who need to consult them should be
able to obtain the information which
they wish without delay. Some of the
bound newspapers are now practically
inaccessible.
From the above recommendations
by the librarian it will be seen the alb
solute need of doing something at
once. The rate of increase to the State
library is about 1000 volumes a year
At the present time there is scarcely
room for half that number of volumes
and in another year there will be no
room at all.
1t has been pointed out that if a new
building could not be erected it would
be possible to extend large wing to the
rear of the present State Capitol, to
be devoted to library purposes. This
would undoubtedly solve the present
problem. The cost of such an enlarge
ment would be not less than s150,000
and very probably would exceed that
figure, a sum it is pointed out that