enlightened managers of these libraries that a free public library is the proper corollary of a free system of public education, and it is their aim as far as possible to direct the taste and to methodize the reading of those who use the collections under their charge.
Astor library.We cannot conclude this brief sketch without mentioning some notable illustrations of that public-spirited munificence which is nowhere perhaps so frequently found as in the United States. The Astor Library in New York was founded by a bequest of John Jacob Astor, whose example was followed successively by his son and grandson. The library was opened to the public in 1854, and at the end of 1880 the collection due to their joint benefaction contained 192,547 volumes. It consists of a careful selection of the most valuable books upon all subjects. It is a library of reference, for which purpose it is freely open, and books are not lent out. It is "a working library for studious persons," and such persons on a proper introduction are allowed to pursue their studies in the alcoves. In 1880 the number of general readers was 45,670, and the number of visits to the alcoves was 7961. The total endowment is over $1,100,000. There is a printed catalogue for about half the library, with a printed index of subjects, and a similar catalogue for the rest is in preparation. Lenox library.The Lenox Library was established by Mr James Lenox in 1870, when a body of trustees was incorporated by an Act of the legislature. In addition to the funds intended for the library building and endowment, amounting to 1,247,000, the private collection of books which Mr Lenox has long been accumulating is extremely valuable. Though it does not rank high in point of mere numbers, it is exceedingly rich in early books on America, in Bibles, in Shakesperiana, and in Elizabethan poetry. The Peabody Institute at Baltimore was established by Mr George Peabody in 1857, and contains a reference library open to all comers, numbering about 72,000 volumes. The institute has an endowment of $1,000,000, which, however, has to support, besides the library, a conservatoire of music, an art gallery, and courses of popular lectures. The largest legacy yet made for a public library has recently fallen to the citizens of Chicago in the Newberry bequest of over $2,000,000 for the founding of a free public library in the north division of Chicago.
South America and Mexico.
Argentine Republic.The importance of public libraries has been fully recognized by the Argentines, and at present more than two hundred of them are in the country. They are due to benefactions, but the Government in every case adds an equal sum to any endowment. A central commission exists for the purpose of facilitating the acquisition of books and to promote a uniform excellence of administration. The most considerable is the Biblioteca Nacional at Buenos-Ayres, which contains at present 40,000 volumes, and has been almost doubled since 1872. It is passably rich in MSS., some of great interest, concerning the early history of the Spanish colonies.
Brazil.The chief library of Brazil is the Bibliotheca Publica Nacional at Rio de Janeiro, founded in 1807, and now comprising 120,000 printed volumes with 1000 MSS. National literature and works connected with South America are special features of this collection. The Royal Library of Ajuda (including 4000 MSS.) was taken to Brazil by King Joao VI., but was sent to Portugal on the declaration of independence. Since 1873 the annual Government grant has been largely increased. Among other libraries of the capital may be mentioned those of the Faculty of Medicine (18,000 volumes), Marine Library (19,500 volumes), National Museum (9000 volumes), Portuguese Literary Club (53,000 volumes), Bibliotheca Fluminense (43,000 volumes), Benedictine Monastery (9000 volumes), and the Bibliotheca Municipal (15,500 volumes). In the official report on Brazil, submitted at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876, it was stated that the aggregate number of volumes in all the libraries of the empire accessible to the public was then 460,272 volumes. In 1875 the libraries were visited by 85,044 persons.
Chili.The Biblioteca Nacional at Santiago is the chief library in Chili. The catalogue is printed, and is kept up by annual supplements.
Mexico.Only sixteen out of the twenty-nine states and territories of the Mexican republic have public libraries, and only a small proportion of the contents consists of modern literature. Many, however, possess rare and valuable books, of interest to the bibliographer and historian, which have come from the libraries of the suppressed religious bodies. It is calculated that books in all the public libraries amount to about 250,000 volumes. There are about seventy-three scientific and literary associations in the republic, each possessing books. The Society of Geography and Statistics, founded in 1851, is the most important of them, and owns a fine museum and excellent library. After the triumph of the Liberal party the cathedral, university, and conventual libraries of the city of Mexico came into the possession of the Government, and steps were taken to form them into one national collection. No definite system was organized, however, until 1867, when the church of San Augustin was taken and fitted up for the purpose. Two copies of every book printed in Mexico must be presented to this library. The only other public library in the city is the Biblioteca Cinco de Mayo, which is under the management of the Lancastrian Society.
Peru.The Biblioteca Nacional at Lima was founded by a decree of the liberator San Martin on August 28, 1821, and placed in the house of the old convent of San Pedro. The nucleus of the library consisted of those of the university of San Marcos and of several monasteries, and a large present of books was also made by San Martin. The library is chiefly interesting from containing so many MSS. and rare books relating to the history of Peru in vice-regal times. The volumes marked "Papeles varies" contain reports on the superstitions of the Indians, abstracts of the ecclesiastical councils of Lima, and memoirs on provincial administration and petitions. It is reported (1881) that the whole library has been seized by the Chilians and transferred to Santiago.
LIBRARY MANAGEMENT.
BuildingsLibrary Buildings.[1]—The conditions of no two libraries being precisely alike, it is impossible to lay down rules to suit all, but certain principles of general application may be stated. In the first place the internal arrangements ought to be devised by a person thoroughly acquainted with the practical working of such a library as the building is intended to accommodate. The reading-rooms, book-rooms, work-rooms, and offices should be made to fall into the most convenient relations one to the other. And as libraries grow with wonderful rapidity the plan ought to admit of easy development. The site should be dry and airy, and permit isolation of the fabric, which should be constructed of fire-proof materials, iron being preferable to stone, and brick to either. Every floor should be laid upon rolled iron beams, supported by lattice girders, the space between the beams being fitted in with porous terra cotta, and the beams covered with concrete. To protect them against fire, girders and pillars must be covered with terra cotta. Iron doors (or, better still, stout wooden doors plated with thin iron) should separate the different rooms.[2] The safety and convenient disposal of the books must never be sacrificed to outside show. The old form of library, the museum-like room with alcoves and a large block of vacant space in the centre, or the series of apartments with books on the walls only, is no longer in favour. The reading-room, commodious, well lighted, and supplied with works of reference, should be away from the main collection, and the lending department should be kept apart from the reference library. It is convenient to have separate rooms for ladies and for readers to whom special facilities may be gran ted; and let ample provision be made for work-rooms, librarians offices, cataloguing rooms, and a bindery if necessary. The chief portion of the books (at any rate those in most demand) should be on the ground floor, and more than two stories are to be avoided. Plenty of light and good ventilation are two conditions of great importance. The basement should be vaulted. As the store-room, or that in which the main collection is deposited, is one to which readers have seldom the right of access, the greatest economy as to shelvage and passage way may be effected. Bookcases may be placed against the walls, but not too close to them, and double presses, about 3 feet apart, arranged across the floor. To prevent the objectionable use of high ladders, no shelf should stand more than 8 feet above the ground. If the room be sufficiently lofty it may contain one or more perforated iron floors, sustained by the upright portion of the presses, also of iron. Spiral staircases are to be avoided. Lifts may be introduced with advantage. In many college libraries in America (e.g. at Princeton) the circular form, with cases radiating from the centre, has been adopted success fully. The spacious rotundas of the British Museum and that of the Liverpool Free Public Library are good examples of the circular reading-room.
Mr Justin "Winsor has devised an excellent plan for a library of one million volumes capacity (see "Library Buildings," in Report on Public Libraries of U.S., p. 465), and the same system might be applied to one much less extensive. Another distinguished American librarian, Mr W. F. Poole of Chicago, has made some novel suggestions on library architecture which have met with considerable approval. He objects to the waste of space in the central portion of most large library rooms, to the difficulty of ventilating and heating them, to shelving books in galleries on the walls, to the destruction of bindings from gas and heat ("books cannot live where man cannot live"), to the excessive labour of procuring books from long distances, the insecurity from fire, the inconvenience of keeping many volumes (other than those of reference) in the public reading-room, and the unnecessary cost of the present system. To remedy these defects a plot of land is required 200 feet square, and surrounded with open spaces. At the middle of the principal side may be placed the main building, 60 feet front and 75 feet deep, devoted to administrative and working purposes. The books will be stored, not in one central repository, but in a series of rooms thrown out in wings from the central edifice, and- ↑ Plans of most of the chief libraries of Europe may be seen in the Memoirs of Libraries of Mr Edwards (2 vols., 1850), and in the Katechismus der Bibliothekenlehre of Dr Petzholdt (1871); the volumes of the Library Journal contain representations of many new American libraries.
- ↑ 2 A recipe to make wood incombustible, and other suggestions, are given by C. Walford in Manchester Trans. Libr. Assoc., 1880, p. 65.
