Evening star., 1940-04-28
The Nucleus of an American AcropoEs
Representative Collins Emissions the Development
Here of the Worlds Greatest Libraries

would doubtless now be housed In
these marvellous storehouses on
Capitol Hill, where they would be
used instead of reposing in some
private or clustered university L.
brary. refer particularly to the
Benedict collection Of American
Colonial law, the Hartley papers,
the Garcia and Icazbalceta collec-
tions purchased by the University Of
Texas, the George Dunn collection
OF early English yearbooks, statutes,
and treatises, the Stolberg- -Werni-
gerode Castle library, the Robino
collection of Slavonic material, a
collection Of the official newspapers
Of the State of Venice from 1900 to
1860, the Herschell Jones collection,
and many other notable collections.
In several instances, however, the
Congress has laid politics aside and
has made handsome provision for its
library. The appropriation of $780,
600 for the purchase of the Peter
Force collection in 1867, when the
Treasury had been depleted by the
Civil War, was nothing short of real
craftsmanship.
Purchase Of 5000 Incunabula.
trust may be pardoned for re-
ferring to an appropriation with
which I had humble part, namely,
the bill authorizing the purchase of
the collection of 5000 incunabula,
including the perfect copy of the
Gutenberg Bible on vellum, which
now rests In its handsome mahogany
case in the exhibition hall of the old
Library Building. According to
scholars, this is unquestionably the
greatest single acquisition in the
history of the Library, at one step
raised the institution from a rather
utilitarian library to one of great
distinction.
A description of the Library Of
Congress would be incomplete with
out word as to the generous dona-
tions of money, books, and musical
instruments that have been bestowed
upon that institution due to the
initiative of the former librarian,
Herbert Putnam. The Congress,
fortunately, has retained his services
in that important work as librarian
emeritus, and it is hoped he may
continue at his post for many years.
His successor, the present librarian
of Congress, Archibald MacIeish,
with his poetic imagination, already
shares the dream of us all to make
Capitol Hill the greatest educational
and cultural center in the world,
and with his proven ability as an
administrator will aid it with all
of the power of his voice and facile
pen.
No program of enlarging the Lii
brary Of Congress would be complete
that did not include the transfer to
this intellectual center Of many of
the rare and valuable books and
documents now desposited in de-
partmental and bureau libraries.
This is imperative for their preserva-
ton.
Work of Folger.
1t was the vision of a Maecenas
who foresaw the development Of an
intellectual center on Capitol Hill
and accelerated its realization. For
80 years Henry Clay Folger combed
the book marts of Europe and
America in quest of books relating
to Shakespeare and his times. Dur
ing this period, with the help of his
faithful wife, Emily, he searched
book catalogues patiently and un-
ceasingly in their mutual endeavor
to assemble the finest collection of
Elzabethan literature in the world
The Bard of Avon has had his
| friends and his detractors, but I
venture to assert that he never had
a greater admirer in all history than
Mr.. Folger. When he had finally
gathered library of about $4,000
volumes, which was too large for his
private home. he decided to dedicate
it to the public. It had cost him the
sum Of 100000 year for 30 years,
total of $4,000, 900. Classmates Of
Amherst College urged him to de-
vote the library to his alma mater,
but he had other plans. Mr.. Folger
wanted it placed where it would be
accessible to American scholars
generally and not to have it Sc
questered within the confines of a
college town. Accordingly he quietly
purchased row of houses known as
Grant Row, facing upon East Capitol
street, and there decided to erect
an appropriate building to enclose
his wonderful treasures.
It was at that time that the Con-
gress had authorized the purchase
of the entire block to the back of
the Library for the location of the
annex. When Mr.. Folger's great
project became known, the Congress
willingly yielded the one-quarter Of
the square and had already pur-
chased and changed its plans for
the annex accordingly. -.
Medical Library Centenary.
On November 16, 1886, the Army
Medical Library held its centenary.
In this one century has been de-
veloped the largest and most signifi.
cant medical library in the world.
It was in 1886, during the second
term of Andrew Jackson, that Sur
geon General Lowell began to form
a small collection of books, The
Library of the Surgeon Generals
ONCE, which by 1840 included only
1913 volumes. From these humble
beginnings, with this as a nucleus,
has grown the greatest specialized
library in the world, an institution
Of which every American can feel
proud, known, honored throughout
the world, but only for wealth of its