Evening star., 1936-05-09
By Eugene Guild.

DV Eugene OHtsu.
w WASHINGTON Is the library
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known either to its resi-
dents or to the thousands of visitors
who come annually to the Capital
City, and who think of it as the Ma
tion's governmental and political cen.
ter. But in the world Of learning
and letters it has equal fame, for its
collections of books and manuscripts
are unmatched in number, in scope,
and In diversihcation.
The growth of the Federal Govern
ment, and the selection of Washing
ton as the headquarters OF many
learned societies, and as the home
of numerous universities and schools.
has brought about the development
Of library facilities which give Wash
ington the largest number Of books
per capita among the cities OF the
country, and place 1t among the first
four or five cities in the world in
the number of volumes housed within
its limits.
These institutions range in size from
gigantic libraries with hundreds OF
thousands OF volumes, to small col
lections Of q few hundred reference
books. In subject matter they cover
every conceivable field, from stock
farming to storytelling, and from the
first printed books TO the latest works
on radio or aeronautics.
Pre-eminent among them Is the
Library Of Congress. Not only great
library, it is q museum, an art gal
lery and a shrine as well. Ranking
with the British Museum and the Ma
tional Library Of France, 1t Is prob
ably larger than either.
Established by Congress under the
act OF 1900, the Library Of Congress
was housed In the Capitol for the first
81 years Of its existence, and It's his
tory was closely bound up with the
legislative establishment, Of which II
is still a part. Destroyed by FIRE In
1914 when the British burned the
Capitol, it was replenished by the pur-
chase Of the library Of Thomas JEFF
ferson-and visited by fire again in
1881. Through the years following
the collection steadily grew, until the
need for separate building became
imperative. Far-seeing men in Con-
gress and out OF 1t realized its pos
sibilities and appropriations were made
for the present magnificent structure
the largest library buldin- in the
world, which was opened in 1897
Since then, under the direction Of DR.
Herbert Putnam, who became librarian
in 1899, it has moved steadily forward
to the fulfilment Of its dual destiny
as reference library for the Govern
ment and as q national library serving
the Nation at large.
On June 30. 1885. the Library con-
tained 4,se2,5l books and pamphlets
1,337,4 AIS maps, over million volumes
and pieces Of music, uncounted manu-
scripts and transcripts estimated at
well over 1000, 900 pieces and $4,000
bound volumes Of newspapers. The
annual increase Oh new books and
pamphlets is about l75,o0o a year
This material is stored in l64 miles Of
steel shelving in 4s bookstacks. The
new annex, now in construction, will
have stack space for 100000 vol
umes. There are at present accommo-
dations for about 900 readers, includ-
ing SO separate study rooms and 220
tables for research workers.
The collections Of the Library Of
Congress are exceptionally strong in
American history and politics dnclud-
ing manuscript sources), maps, charts,
music and aeronautics. It's file Of
American state documents and Of for
eign documents is one Of the most
complete in the United States. 1t