Evening star., 1941-02-09
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

An article printed IN Inc Star Tor
February 7, 1891, furnishes convincing
evidence Of the rela-
II Was 'NotionoI lively small beginnings
l;L,1L of what now is the
largest photographic
institution on earth. The interior of
the new National Library Building it
is reported. will not be eXtravagantly
gorgeous, but it will be in keeping with
the exterior and of a character ap-
propriate to the purpose for which the
building is designed. The most Strlk-
ing feature will be the arrangement
for convenience, utility and comfort.
There will be room for many more
volumes than now comprise the library,
but the building is constructed for years
yet to come, and provision is made for
the greatest possible storage capacity for
books. always preserving a convenience
of arrangement which will make the
management of the library As simple
as possible There are not over 500
900 books in the Congressional Library.
The book stacks in the new building will
accommodate about 100000 volumes,
and the building crowded to its utmost.
without sacrifice of convenience. could
be made to hold 5000 600 volumes. The
library at its present size. therefore,
will occupy but small part of the space.
but it will probably fill up rapidly
enough. But the anterior plan is such
as to be easily adapted to any arrange
ment of the library or to most any use
to which it might be deemed desirable
to put any part of it.
The basement story. that is the
first story above the ground level, prob
ably will be used for Office purposes, the
copyright business and the general work
of clerical character necessary to the
administration of the vast establish
ment.
above that is the main floor, on
which is the main entrance and the
large reading room, octa9onal in form.
The reading room like the rotunda of
the Capitol, opens up to the vaulted cel'-
ing at the roof. Extending out to the
north and to the south will be the
great book stacks. and to the east will
be similar stack, only not nearly as
large. The building will have two
stories above the basement story, as has
the Capitol, but the upper story will be
more spacious. the high ceilings pro-
viding immense wall space for the dis
play of Autographs, engravings, etch-
ings, maps charts, paintings, or what
ever it may be necessary to display
from the walls
The book stacks extending upward
from the first floor will be nine stories
high, seven feet to story. There will
be no climbing on step ladders. No
story of the stack is higher than man
can reach. If book is out of reach, it
is on another story. This arrangement
for the books is the most convenient
possible and is original with this build
ing The stacks are built within the
court and extend out from the octagonal
reading room like the two arms and the
head of a cross. There will be both
staircases and elevators and a system of
communication with the reading room
which will avoid delay and confusion.
1t will be arranged by what is known as
the central system. The superintendent
of the reading room will occupy
raised circular desk or pulpit in the
middle of the octagonal room. Ranged
in circular form around this center will
be rows of reading tables capable of
accommodating 300 persons Around
the desk will be circular counter. From
there to every part of the book re-
positorieS will be communication by
telephone or some system of electric
signals and there will be an endless
chain system of book elevators leading
to every story of the stacks. "ss
"There will be reading room for
Congress located, probably, at the west
front. The entire building will be so
strongly constructed that If 1t were
packed full of scrap iron. it would bear
the weight"