How to plan a library building for library work

CONCRETE EXAMPLES

By permission of the librarians of the New York Public Library and of the Brooklyn Public Library, I print here extracts from their respective “Terms of Competition” (already printed in pamphlet form) for the building just completed, and “General Suggestions to the Architect” for the building soon to be erected. The latter, hitherto unpublished, is very full, and is cross referenced and annotated, therefore likely to prove especially helpful.

I thus present practical details of the planning of two large recent American library buildings, in the hope of throwing a fresh light on the problems I have treated.

It will be noticed that one of these libraries was built after an architectural competition; the other has been planned, and will be built, after the method preferred in this book, selection of the architect at the outset, without competition.

Librarians, architects and building committees about to plan a very large library may review their subject in these summaries; and those engaged in less extensive plans may select the rooms and combinations which meet their own needs.

The side headings and italics are mine.

C. C. S.

TERMS OF COMPETITION
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.

Plan of Competition. In May, 1897, the Committee announced that it proposed to obtain plans by means of two consecutive competitions. An open competition was to be first held. The Committee was then to choose from the authors of the twelve most meritorious sketches certain of the competitors, not more than six in number; and the persons thus selected, with not more than six other persons or firms thereafter to be named by the Committee, were to be invited to take part in a second restricted and paid competition.

Cost and Jury. Each of the competitors will be paid $800, as the estimated cost to them of the drawings required.

The drawings will be judged by a jury of seven persons consisting of three practising architects to be selected by the competitors themselves, three members of the Board of Trustees to be hereafter named by the Board, and the Director of the New York Public Library.

Experts. The Trustees also reserve the right of appointing consulting engineers to whom all construction drawings and all drawings relating to heating, ventilation and electrical apparatus shall be submitted for approval before they are carried into execution.

Plans to File. The architect shall furnish to the Trustees, upon completion of the building, a full set of drawings exhibiting all essential particulars of its design and construction, for future reference.

Light. All rooms used by the public or for clerical purposes must have as much daylight as possible. The windows should run nearly to the ceilings, and in the reading rooms should not come within five feet of the floor. They should be large and little obstructed by framework.

The book stacks also should receive as much daylight as possible; but it is not expected entirely to dispense with the use of artificial light in the book stacks.

Heat and Air. The building should be heated by steam applied in part through hot water, and at least 1,500 cubic feet of fresh air per person per hour, for all occupied rooms must be warmed, introduced and properly distributed by mechanical means, and flues must be provided of such size that a velocity of 6 feet per second will furnish the above amount.

Material. The floors in the main halls, corridors and exhibition rooms are to be of marble, tile or mosaic; in the Trustees’ and Director’s Rooms of wood or parquetry; and in the book stacks of white marble slabs. In the Reading Rooms and Administration Rooms the floors may be of brick or concrete, as they will be covered with a thick cork carpet or other noiseless material.

The building must be thoroughly fireproof.

For the purposes of this competition it is to be assumed that the building will be constructed of masonry, except the book-stacks; that the so-called skeleton construction of iron will not be employed; and that the external walls will be faced with Indiana limestone—although, as hereinafter stated, that material may not be finally adopted.

The Trustees are advised that the majority of librarians regard brick as the best material from a practical point of view, and the competitors are invited to say whether in their judgment it can be so used as to secure for this building the dignity and monumental character that is desired.

It is believed that ample opportunity will exist for architectural and decorative effect; but it is desired that the Reading Rooms at least should be plainly treated.

Tentative Plans. In instituting, in the month of May, a Preliminary Competition under substantially the same requirements, the Trustees submitted a set of diagrams showing a tentative arrangement which was suggested as a possible solution of the problem, but one for which they entertained no special prepossessions. The important features of the interior as there shown, placed the main reading rooms on the third floor, and the book-stacks immediately below them along the west front of the building. This plan, which embodied the results of considerable study, has since then been subjected to the critical examination of the leading librarians of the country, and has also been carefully reconsidered by the Committee and their professional advisers in the light of the abundant illustration afforded by the plans submitted in the Preliminary Competition.

Details. The Lending Department must be distant from the reading rooms, and must be provided with easy and direct access from the street. The Children’s Room, and the Periodical and Newspaper Rooms, must be provided with similar easy access and should probably be on the first floor. The Accession Department must have direct communication with that portion of the main stack which is on the same level, and also with the catalogue room—either directly or by means of a lift. The delivery desk in the public reading rooms must be central and so situated as to overlook each of the large public reading rooms. The machinery for bringing books from the stacks must be as direct and simple as possible.

Stacks. The book stacks occupy two stories and the basement and have the Reading Rooms in a third story above them. This arrangement gives the Reading Rooms the maximum amount of light, brings the stacks into easy and direct communication with them, and allows of the extension of the building towards the west at some future day, by enlarging both the stacks and the Reading Rooms simultaneously and proportionately, with a comparatively small enlargement of the portions of the building devoted to administrative and other uses.

Working-rooms. The administration is concentrated on the south side of the building. A private entrance for the use of employees is provided, and also a driveway from the street to admit of the passage of carts containing books or stores. The boilers, engines, dynamos and coal vaults are placed outside of the building and below the level of the 40th Street sidewalk. In the basement near the driveway are the storerooms, book-bindery, printing room, and rooms for packing and exchanging books and for issuing them to branch libraries. Above are receiving rooms for books, accessions department, cataloguing room, and order and checking department. Between the administrative part of the building and the part open to the public, come the rooms for the Director and the Trustees.

In the basement, near the Forty-second Street entrance, which will be approximately on a level with the sidewalk, is the delivery room for the Lending Department, running up into the first story. It is next to the book stacks, and occupies the lower part of the northern area or open court, and is lighted from above.

Floors. The different floors of the building are to coincide with the level of the floors of the book stacks. The floors of the book stacks are to be seven feet and six inches apart, from top to top. The basement and second stories of the building will accordingly be fifteen feet in height, from floor to floor, being two stacks high; and the first story will be twenty-two feet and six inches, or three stacks in height. The smaller rooms in the first story may have rooms over them in a mezzanine. The floor of the basement story will be a step or two above the 42d Street sidewalk at the entrance.

Conditions. The arrangement of rooms in the basement on the southwest corner, above indicated, permits the packing and ready distribution of books for the lending branches to be hereafter established. The central portion of the basement between the two courts affords a suitable location for the ventilating machinery of the building. The special reading rooms for students on the second and third floors, while in easy communication with the main stack, are removed from the main reading rooms and from the portion of the building most frequented by the public. The main reading rooms on the third story are removed from dust and noise, and enjoy the best form of light from above. It is considered preferable not to have the rooms very lofty, and the skylights should be large so as to diffuse the light as much as possible. Domes are accordingly not desired.

Stack Light. The arrangement of the stacks affords a reasonable amount of light, and does not make the stacks wholly dependent on artificial light, which will be expensive and in other respects objectionable.

SCHEDULE OF ROOMS.

BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY CENTRAL BUILDING.
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS TO THE ARCHITECT.

General. These suggestions are intended for the purpose of assisting the Architect in working out his plans, and in no way to hamper him. It is possible the Architect may find a different arrangement of rooms more suitable to the building which he plans, and while it is desirable that he conform as nearly as possible to the suggested arrangement it is not necessary to follow it closely.

Estimates. In submitting preliminary plans the approximate cost in the shape of estimate from at least three reputable builders should be given exclusive of heating, lighting, ventilation, book stacks and all fixed furniture.

Guides. The number of stories should include sub-basement, basement, and as many stories above the ground as will comport with the Memorial Arch and surrounding buildings, providing at the same time adequate capacity for the needs of a Central Library Building. Your attention is called to the report of the Consulting Architect, Prof. A. D. F. Hamlin to the Central Building Committee under date of March 25, 1905; and of the reports of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., made to the Brooklyn League under date of October, 1905, and of Messrs. Carrere and Hastings to the Mayor of New York, under date of November, 1905, and the comparative table of accommodations of various library buildings as prepared by the Brooklyn Public Library. All these documents should be studied preliminary to the preparation of plans.

Requisites. Architectural effect should be subordinate to utility and convenience. Consideration should be given to the probabilities of extensions to the building.

The prime essentials for the library building are light and ventilation. The building should be lighted on all sides by natural light. Walls which face open courts should be of light colored material.

The building should be thoroughly fireproof.

The whole building is to be piped and wired for both gas and electric lighting.

The decoration of the reading rooms should be very simple.

Wall space should not be occupied by heating pipes.

All halls and stairways should be ample and well lighted.

The dimensions given may be considerably varied provided they are not materially reduced. All rooms should be so planned as to provide wall shelving 3 feet in the clear without loss of space and without any architectural obstruction.

Grouping of Rooms According to Use.

• (a) Public rooms.
• (b) Work rooms.
• (c) Executive rooms.
• (d) Stack.
• (e) Mechanical service.

A. PUBLIC ROOMS.

• Children’s room.
• Delivery room (Circulation Dept.).
• Registration room.
• Reading Rooms
• (a) Reference.
• 1. General.
• 2. Statistical Dept.
• 3. Patents.
• 4. Music.
• 5. Art books.
• 5a. Bell collection.
• 6. Manuscripts.
• 7. Maps.
• 8. Public documents.
• 9. Restricted and rare books.
• 10. Prints room.
• 11. Photograph room.
• (b) Periodicals.
• 1. General.
• 2. Scientific.
• 3. Store room for unbound back numbers.
• 4. Bound magazines—or space in stack.
• 5. Newspapers.
• Public catalog.
• Club rooms.
• Study rooms.
• Auditorium or Exhibition room.
• Lunch room (Restaurant).
• Public reception.
• Stenographer.
• Telephone.
• Writing and copying rooms.
• Coat room.
• Toilets.

B. WORK ROOMS.

• Superintendent of Building’s office.
• Engineer’s rooms.
• Janitor’s rooms.
• Janitor’s living rooms.
• Scrub women’s rooms.
• Binding.
• Repair room.
• Printing plant.

Work Rooms (staff).

• Supply Department.
• Store room for supplies.
• Book Order Department.
• Packing room.
• Delivery stations room.
• Apprentice class room.
• Cataloguing Department.
• Library of Congress Card Catalog room.
• Traveling Libraries Department.
• Interchange Department.
• Foreign Book Department.

Work Rooms (Special Rooms for Staff).

• Two lunch rooms.
• One staff sitting room.
• One staff meeting room.
• Butler’s pantry, kitchen, etc.

C. EXECUTIVE OFFICES.

• Trustees’ room.
• Committee room.
• Librarian’s Public office.
• Librarian’s Private office.
• Librarian’s Secretary’s office.
• Stenographer’s room.
• Assistant Librarian’s office.
• Supt. of Branches office.
• Finance Department.
• Offices of the Superintendents of Cataloguing, Children’s, Traveling libraries, Supply Department, connected with their respective departments.

D. STACK.

• Stock room accommodations for books purchased and unassigned.
• Storage room for little used books.

E. MECHANICAL SERVICE.

• 1. Public telephone.
• 2. Interior telephone.
• 3. Book carrier.
• 4. Pneumatic tubes.
• 5. Elevators.
• 6. Book lifts.

SUGGESTED FLOOR ARRANGEMENTS AND DIMENSIONS OF ROOMS.

ALPHABETICAL ARRANGEMENT OF ROOMS.

Under each room is given the purpose and best arrangement in relation to other rooms. The list also includes such headings as “Furniture,” “Shelving,” etc.

Accession Department, see Cataloguing Department.

Apprentice Class Room. For students who are taking the training course in the library preparatory to admission to the library service. Accommodations should be provided for one hundred students.

Need not be considered in relation to other rooms, and may be placed on top floor or wherever convenient.

The room might be divided into sections by sliding partitions so that a part or the whole could be used either for class work or for entrance and promotion examinations, and should be planned as a regular school class room containing such necessary appliances as desks, chairs blackboards, etc.

A sufficient number of lockers should be provided in a dressing-room near by.

If the room is not divided as mentioned above, a study room containing a working collection of library literature would make study possible by members of one class while another class is in session.

Art Book Cases, see Furniture, Art Book Cases.

Art Book Room. All the large heavy books belonging to the Art Book Collection will be placed here in cases or on shelves.

There should be accommodation in this room or a nearby stack for 15,000 volumes.

If an Exhibition Room is not provided the Art Book Room together with the Photographs, Music and Manuscripts Rooms, might be connected so that when desired they could be converted into an Exhibition Room.

If convenient the Art Book Room should be near the Reference Room.

If located on different floors, the Art Book Room and Photographic Room should be connected by a large size book lift.

Auditor’s Office, see Finance Department.

Auditorium. It is a question whether in view of the nearness of the Brooklyn Institute the Library should provide an auditorium. If so, it should be capable of being turned into an Exhibition Room, which see.

It is probable that a seating capacity of 400 or 500 would be sufficient, although it may be thought best to provide for 1,500.

If arranged so as to be used as an Exhibition Room it might be sub-divided by movable partitions.

It should be provided with lantern and screen.

This hall should be used for literary purposes only.

May be placed on top floor or basement. If the latter, there should be an outside entrance, and also one from the library proper.

Automatic Book Carrier, see Book Carrier.

Back Numbers of Magazines, see Periodical Reading Room.

Bell Collection. A collection of 12,000 volumes given by Mr. James A. H. Bell on the conditions that it should be in a separate room, and that the books should be for reference purposes only.

Need not connect with any other room.

Bells. Connection might be made from some of the rooms, such as Librarians’, Delivery, Reference, with the janitor and engineer.

There should be outside door bells so arranged that the current to same may be turned off or on. Switches to be under lock and key inside the building.

Bicycle Room. A small space is probably all that will be necessary, and it is a question whether racks outside, or inside the building on ground floor would not serve the purpose.

Bindery. A room should be provided large enough to hold heavy machinery and to enable the library to have its own binding done within the building, although it is not at all certain whether it is not more economical to give the use of the room to some binder and arrange with him to do the work at so much per volume.

Should go in the basement near the Repair Room.

If all binding is not done by the Library, the Repair Room if made larger will accommodate the necessary machinery for what is to be done, and should be so constructed as to bear the weight of heavy machinery.

Blind Department, see Library for the Blind.

Boiler Room, see Heating Plant.

Book Carrier. A noiseless device for carrying books from the Book Stack to the Delivery Desks in the

• (a) Reference Room.
• (b) Delivery Room.
• (c) Periodical Reading Room.
• (d) Children’s Room.
• (e) Delivery Station Room.
• (f) Wherever rooms are indicated as near Stack and cannot be so placed the carrier might be used.

A very successful carrier made by the Lamson Store Service Co. is said to be in use by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The Library of Congress and Boston Public Library also have carriers.

Book Order Department. Including the Ordering and Receiving Departments. Orders for books are sent to this department and forwarded to the publishers. Books are received from the same source, unpacked, checked with the bill, etc., before they go to the Cataloguing Department. A part of the room should be arranged as a Receiving Room where the cases of books could be unpacked.

It should be on the ground floor near the Packing Room and the depository sections of the Stack which contain the stock of unassigned books (20,000 volumes) and the little used books (30,000 volumes). It should be connected with, but not necessarily adjacent to, the Cataloguing Department, with which it might be connected with a freight elevator, so that truck loads of books can be quickly transferred.

A small office or office space for the Superintendent should be provided.

Bound Files of Newspapers, see Newspaper Reading Room.

Bound Files of Magazines, see Periodical Reading Room.

Branches, Superintendent, see Executive offices.

Building Superintendent’s Room. An office for the Superintendent of the building should be provided near the entrance on the ground floor.

Building, Size of. Inasmuch as the plot is surrounded by broad open spaces the building may be brought much nearer the lot line than would otherwise be desirable. Unnecessary space should not be given to halls and corridors, although these should be ample.

The size of the Reference and Reading Rooms may be increased if there is any additional space available.

Card Cases, see Furniture—Card Catalog Cases.

Cataloguing Department (Official). Books for all branches of the library as well as all departments and the Central Library are accessioned, and catalogued by this department.

Space should be allowed for at least fifty employees. It may be on the third floor. It should connect with the Book Order Department as indicated, and be located near Traveling Libraries and Interchange Departments.

An office or office space should be provided for the Superintendent of the department.

The freight elevator might open into a small room or hallway adjoining the Cataloguing Department instead of opening directly into the room itself.

The room should, if possible, be so planned that there will be good light on both sides so that desks may be placed on both sides of the room.

The space allotted to the department may, if necessary, be divided into two connecting rooms, one of which would contain some thirty typewriting machines.

Alcoves formed by book cases might be placed on one side of the room to separate the desks of the typewriters from each other.

Space must also be allowed for card catalog cases for 2,000,000 volumes. These may be placed back to back and form a sort of partition through the middle of the room.

Cataloguing Department—Library of Congress Depository Catalog. The cards of the Library of Congress Catalog are filed in Catalog Cases in this room and the Catalog must be accessible to the public, and should adjoin the Official Cataloguing Department. Provision should be made for at least fifty catalog cases in addition to table, desk, chairs, etc.

Catalog Room (Public). Contains a catalog of all books in the Library system printed on cards, and arranged similar to those in the Official Catalog Department. It would be used by the public and should be near the Reference Room so that the Reference Librarian could use and supervise it.

If possible it should be accessible for the Delivery Department and Official Cataloguing Department. Space should be provided for the same number of cases as in the Official Department. These cases could be placed against the walls or in rows.

Charging Desk, see Furniture—Delivery Desk.

Check Room, see Coat and Parcel Room—Public.

Children’s Room. A room for the use of the juvenile borrowers of the library. All juvenile books will be charged and discharged in this room. Provision should be made for seating about two hundred children. The total space allotted for this department may be divided so that there will be an office for the Superintendent (who has charge of the work with children), a small room to contain a selected collection of juvenile books which may be consulted by teachers, parents, etc., and the reading and delivery room for children. A portion of the latter might perhaps be partitioned off for reference use. Plenty of room should be provided for this purpose.

This department should be situated near the Delivery Room of the library, and if possible, connect directly with the Open Shelf Room of that department.

The entrance to this room should be similar to that at the Pacific Branch Library, i.e., two doors, one for entrance and one for exit, with a seat for visitors and a railed space where they may stand without interfering with the children who use the room.

If possible, this room should be easily reached from the street without stairs or with but few. The entrance, however, should not be directly into the room.

Circulation Department, see Delivery Department.

Cleaner’s Room. A room near janitor’s with lockers, cupboards, etc., in which clothes, pails, mops may be kept.

Cleaning Device, see Vacuum Cleaning Apparatus.

Closets. Closets or cupboards for the storage of supplies, etc., should be provided in the various departments and work rooms.

Closets for janitor’s brooms, mops, etc., together with a sink should be located on each floor.

Club Rooms, see Study Rooms.

Coal Bins. Coal bins of 200 tons capacity should be provided.

Coat and Parcel Rooms, Public. A room should be provided where coats, parcels, umbrellas, etc., may be checked.

This should be located near the main entrance.

If the auditorium is placed on the top floor a similar room should be located near it.

Committee Room, see Executive Offices.

Copying Room, see Writing and Copying Room.

Cork Carpet, see Floor Covering.

Dark Room, see Photographic Room.

Delivery Department. From this room the books for home use would be circulated, and borrowers would be allowed free access to the shelves.

This room should be easily accessible from the street without any, or, with but few stairs.

It might connect with the Children’s Room, but it is not necessary that it connect with the Reference and Reading Rooms.

A collection of possibly 35,000 volumes of the most popular and standard books should be placed in a room arranged with wall shelving and stacks something like our branch libraries. This will not prevent readers from having access to other books under restrictions.

Space should be provided in this room for a Registration Desk with a possible provision for a Union Register of all borrowers in the system.

Delivery Desks, see Furniture—Delivery Desks.

Delivery Station Room. The library system may, in the near future be extended, by the establishment of delivery and deposit stations throughout the city at which places borrowers may leave books in the morning and receive others later in the day. The books so left will be sent to the Central Library to be exchanged and a room should be provided where this work can be done.

This might be near or part of the Interchange Department, although this arrangement may not be feasible, as it is desirable that the Interchange Department should be located near the Cataloguing Department so that the Catalog may be consulted by it, and the Delivery Station Room should be on the ground floor to facilitate the handling of boxes, etc.

Depository Stock, see Stack Depository.

Driveway. A driveway for teams should run through from Flatbush avenue to Eastern Parkway and into the court, if one is contemplated. The Packing, Delivery Station and Book Order Department should open directly upon the driveway. If these are below the street level, a movable platform should be provided.

Dust Flues. Unless the vacuum cleaning apparatus is installed, dust flues and compressed air with openings on each floor of the Stack and in the principal rooms in the main building may answer all purposes.

Elevators. Elevators should run from the basement to the top floor. Two passenger elevators for the public, and one for the staff should be provided. A freight elevator large enough to hold two or three trucks (such as used at Montague) at a time will be needed. This elevator may open into a hallway or room adjoining the Cataloguing Department if such an arrangement works out better.

Book lifts should also be generously distributed.

If the auditorium is on the top floor one elevator should be so situated as to be convenient for those using the auditorium.

Employees, see Staff.

Engineers’ Club. It is a question whether a meeting room should be provided for the exclusive use of this particular club, although it seems desirable that a place should be provided where this and clubs of a similar nature could hold meetings from time to time.

If a meeting room is provided for the Engineers’ Club it should be adjacent to the Stack where books of a scientific nature are stored.

Engineer’s Rooms. There should be two connecting rooms for the use of the Chief Engineer; one to be used as an office, possibly containing closets for the stowing of supplies; and the other to be equipped as a work room with work bench, forge, anvil, etc.

These rooms should be separate from the Boiler Room.

Entrances. Should be provided on the front and sides of the building for the public, and one in the rear for freight, etc.

A separate entrance should also be provided for the Staff.

Executive Offices. This suite of offices consists of the following rooms:—

• Trustees’ Room.
• Committee Room.
• Librarian’s Public Office.
• Librarian’s Private Office.
• Librarian’s Secretary’s Office.
• Stenographers’ Room.
• Assistant Librarian’s Office.
• Supt. of Branches.[401]
• Finance Department (Here or on top floor).

The rooms in this group might be arranged similar to the offices in large business houses with a central waiting room.

The Trustees’ Room and Committee Room should adjoin and be connected with large folding doors. There should be an ante or waiting room. Also lockers, hat boxes, etc. Toilet and Bath Room should also be provided, as at Boston.

The Librarian’s Private Office should connect directly with the Trustees’ and Committee Rooms.

The Librarian’s Public Office might also serve as a waiting room for the Trustees’ and Assistant Librarian’s Offices.

The Librarian’s Room should be easily accessible to the public and as near as many departments of the library as possible.

Exhibition Room, see Auditorium.

This room might be made by so arranging certain rooms, such as the Art Book, Manuscripts, Music, Photographic Rooms, etc., that they could be converted into an exhibition room at any time. (This is the better arrangement). Exhibitions of books, manuscripts, prints, etc., would be held in this room.

Finance Department, see also Executive Offices.

This is intended for the offices of the Treasurer and his assistants. Space should be provided for three or more clerks, with possibly a small separate room for the Treasurer.

A vault should be located in this department for the storage of documents, bills, etc.

This need not be a part of the Executive Offices, but may be located on the top floor.

Fine Arts Room, see Art Book Room.

Fixed Furniture, see Furniture.

Floor Covering. Rubber or cork carpet may be used, but these should not be put over tiling.

Floors. The kind of flooring for each room should be indicated by the Architect. Noiseless floors should be placed in all public rooms.

Floors, Height of. Floors of the main building should coincide with the level of the floors of the book stack, making the height about 15 feet or two stacks floors high, or in that proportion.

Floors in the Stack Building should be 7½ feet between centers, and should connect with the floors of the main building.

Foreign Book Collection. The collection of books in foreign languages for distribution among the branches would be located on one of the floors of the Book Stack, preferably that nearest the office of the Interchange Department. Provision should be made for about 35,000 volumes.

Furniture—Fixed and Movable. Specifications for the furniture required will be furnished later.

Garage. A room of about 400 square feet should be provided for the storage of library automobiles and equipped with machinery to charge electric vehicles. If space permits, it might be advisable to arrange a part of this room for the convenience of automobilists who use the library.

Heads of Departments, see Superintendents of Departments.

Heating Plant. As this plant cannot be located in a separate building it should be as nearly isolated as possible. It should be so constructed that there will be ample room for the handling of all tools, especially while working at the boilers.

Height of Floor, see Floors, Height of.

Information Desk. Space should be provided for an information desk if possible near the main entrance, or near the Reference and Delivery Departments, if they are quite near together.

Interchange Department. This department, which has charge of the interchange of books among the branches, should have an office for superintendents and assistants near or connected with the Traveling Libraries Department.

It should also be near or easily connected with the Official or Public Catalog and the Book Stack.

Janitor’s Living Rooms. It is desirable, if space permits, that five or six living rooms similar in arrangement to a small apartment be provided for the janitor so that he may be in the building at all times.

These rooms should be located on the top floor.

Janitor’s Rooms. A work room containing lockers, and closets for the storage of necessary tools should be located in the basement for the use of the janitor. An office for his use might also be provided.

These rooms should be near the Stock and Store Rooms and the Supply Department.

Lavatories, see Toilets.

Lecture Room, see Auditorium.

Librarian’s Office, see Executive Offices.

Librarian, Assistant, see Executive Offices.

Library for the Blind. This is intended for the use of the blind readers and their guides. Provision should be made both for the delivery of books for home use, for reading in the library and for “readings.” A small lecture room separated from the Delivery Room should be provided for the latter purpose.

The blind borrowers would be registered at this department rather than at the General Registration Desk.

The best location for this department is on the ground floor, although it may be placed on the top floor. It should be located near a stack accommodating 15,000 volumes.

This is perhaps the one department of the library which might, if necessary, be located at some branch, possibly Montague—instead of in the Central Building without affecting seriously other departments.

Library of Congress Cards, see Cataloguing Department.

Lighting Plant. Even if the library does not install its own lighting plant, space should at least be provided for it in the sub-basement.

Wherever table lights are used as probably in the Reference and Cataloguing Departments, they should be movable and so arranged that they will not get in the way of readers’ feet.

So far as possible, general illumination is better than individual lights.

Little Used Books, see Stack—Depository.

Lockers. Clothing lockers, open and well ventilated, with shelves for hats, should be abundantly provided.

Lockers for men and women should be located near the staff entrance, and in addition, a few lockers should be provided in each department.

The lockers should also be near the service elevator. The quarters might be divided so to partially separate men, women, boys and girls.

Lunch Room for Staff, see Staff Lunch Room.

Lunch room—Public, see Public Restaurant.

Magazine Room, see Periodical Reading Room.

Main Reading Room, see Reference Room.

Manuscript Department. Room where valuable manuscripts would be kept. It might be near Map or Art Book Room and form one of the latter suite.

Map Room. Provision should be made in this room for the convenient handling of maps of various sizes and kinds.

This should be near the Reference Room for the sake of supervision.

Mechanical Service and Equipment, see Book Carriers, Telephones, etc.

Music Room. Provision should be made here or in a nearby Stack for 15,000 bound volumes of books about music, and for the musical scores which will be placed flat on shelves or in drawers. (It might form one of the suite with the Art Book Room, etc.) The circulation of books from this department might be from the room itself rather than from the Main Delivery Desk.

Adjoining should be a piano room with thick walls to deaden sound.

Newspaper Reading Room. If out-of-town newspapers are supplied a larger room will be needed than as though only local papers are taken. (It is a question whether it is best to supply local papers at all). In any event the papers will be in newspaper files on regular racks placed on the walls or separate stands. No shelving (unless for local papers) need be provided here, but in an adjoining room the back numbers will be made accessible.

This room should be on ground floor with separate outside entrance if any papers are taken.

The bound volumes of newspapers take up much room and ample space should be provided in adjoining Stack so that they might be placed flat on roller shelves and provision made for 5,000 volumes and growth for twenty-five years.

Open Shelves, see Delivery Department.

Order Department, see Book Order Department, see also Supply Department.

Order and Receiving Room, see Book Order Department.

Packing Room. Books are received here from the Cataloguing Department and sent out to the Branches.

It should be on the ground floor near the Book Order and Supply Departments and contain bins for at least forty branches, so that when books and supplies are to be sent out they may be placed in specific places preparatory to being shipped, and thus facilitate the distribution of everything to branches.

The bins might be on rollers or tracks unless it is found better to make them permanent and use ordinary trucks around the room.

Parcel Room, see Coat Room.

Patent Room. All reports and specifications relating to American and foreign patents belong in this room or adjoining Stack.

It should be near the Reference and Public Documents Rooms.

Provision should be made in the room itself for seventy-five or one hundred readers, shelving for the most used volumes, and near a stack to contain 20,000. Many of the specifications will be laid flat. Boston seems large enough if sufficient stack space is provided.

Periodical Reading Room. The current magazines will be placed on tables and racks, and the bound volumes of periodicals would be used in this room as well as in the Reference Room. It should therefore be near stack with capacity of 50,000 volumes for bound periodicals. The room should be connected with or under the Reference Room, with stairs connecting.

If found best to locate this room elsewhere it may be placed near newspaper room and made accessible from street.

A room adjoining would have shelves and cases for the unbound back numbers as in Newark.

Photographic Room. A place for taking pictures, consequently a “dark room,” should adjoin.

It might be in attic or one of the Art Book suite, but in any event should be connected with Art Book Room so that large books may be easily conveyed by lift or otherwise from one to the other. Provision should be made for the storage of photographs. It should be well lighted as the walls may be used for the exhibition of pictures, etc.

The “dark room” should have plenty of storage space for slides and negatives.

Plot, see Site.

Pneumatic Tubes. Most liberal provision should be made for communicating between Delivery Rooms, Departments and Stacks. (See also Book Carrier).

Printing Plant. It is a question of policy whether a large or small plant should be installed. If former, there will always be trouble with labor unions, etc. Provision should at least be made for a few small presses to do such necessary work as printing bulletins, lists, catalog cards, etc.

Prints Room, see Art Book Room.

Public Catalog, see Catalog—Public.

Public Documents Room. It is intended to provide for perhaps fifty readers and have a near Stack accommodation for all public documents, both national and state. This room might be near the Patents Room and Reference Room.

Public Reception Room. Part of Public Telephone and Public Stenographer’s Room might adjoin an “Emergency Hospital,” as suggested by Dr. Backus.

See also Writing and Copying Room, Public.

Public Restaurant. If this could be provided for in connection with staff lunch room it would be desirable so that all-day students could obtain lunch.

Public Telephone, see Telephone, Public.

Public Toilet Rooms, see Toilet Rooms, Public.

Radiators. These might be placed inside the walls without taking up room or shelving space, but of course accessible by taking out division of shelving, or radiators might form a base 10 inches to 14 inches from floor under book cases—if not too hot.

Rare and Restricted Books Room. Here would be kept the precious books. It is essential that the vault run through this section. Rare books and prints would be preserved and displayed here.

It should possibly be part of Art Book suite.

Reading Rooms, see Reference Department and under different headings, as Periodical Reading Room, Technical and Scientific Periodical Room, etc.

Receiving Room, see Book Order Department; see also Packing Room.

Reception Room, see Public Reception Room.

Reference Department. This room will serve for general and reference purposes, access being had to as many of the departments and special collections as possible. For the sake of convenience and supervision the special collections might be grouped around this room.

It should be on the second floor, with large windows to about 4 feet of the floor. Seating capacity for from 450 to 600 readers should be provided. It may be found easy to place this room on the top floor with light from above, although such an arrangement does not seem desirable. This will be the largest room in the building.

The public catalog should be near by so that it might be used and supervised by the Reference Librarian.

A delivery desk must also be provided on the same floor as the Reference Department so that the serious student may have books used by him in the Reference Department charged without being obliged to go into the Delivery Department. This desk may be located in the Reference Room, or it may be possible to locate it in the Public Catalog Room so that the orders of those consulting the Catalog may be sent directly to the Stack and the book be delivered to the borrower in that room. If the Public Catalog room is on the same floor as the Reference Room the books from that department could be sent to the Delivery Desk in the Public Catalog Room.

It is desirable to use the same Delivery Room for charging books from both Reference and Delivery Departments.

Registration Room. This is where the record of the individual is kept. If on Brooklyn plan only a few cases will be necessary, but if on Boston plan where there is a Central Registration more space will be necessary.

In any event it should be in or near the Delivery Department.

Repair Room. This is where books are repaired by the staff. It should be in the basement and near the bindery, and better connect with it.

Repository for Little Used Books, see Stack Depository.

Restaurant, see Public Restaurant.

Restricted Books, see Rare and Restricted Books.

Roof. Avoid skylights as much as possible, as the best of them will leak.

Rubber, see Floor Covering.

Safes, see Vaults.

Scientific Periodical Room, see Technical and Scientific Periodical Room.

Screens. Window screens should be provided to exclude dust, flies, mosquitoes, etc.

Service Stairs, see Stairs.

Shades. Should be provided for all windows.

Shelving. It seems best to leave the matter of shelving for the different rooms until a conference can be had with the Architect regarding the dimensions and location of the different rooms.

Site. The site is a quadrilateral, measuring 69 feet 8 inches on the Plaza, 332 feet on the Parkway, 486 feet 0 inches along the Reservoir fence and 498 feet 4 inches along Flatbush avenue.

Special Collections, see Bell Collection, Manuscripts, Rare Books, etc.