History Of The Library

The building known as the General LIbrary Building, was oeeupled Dec. 13, 1SS3. It was opened for use wllii 40,000 columes, which iircluded the medical books. The average anuu;.l increase of the two eolleetions i;i tUe fourteen intervonin.ir years bas been a little more Hum' 4,000 volumes, bringing the total up to about 100,000 volumes. Tho architect of the building estimated iliat the book stack, b a li me is of fire-proof construction, could selielve 113,400 volumes, aecèssitated ton volumes t( tlie running tooi f shelving. Au average of ton volumes to the fint .-- exces sivo, however. A truer estímate is soveu volues, whlch sives as the eapacity of tiio sraek aiiom 80,000 volnhios. With 100,000 volumes therefoTe, we are not only full. buil have au overflow of atoout i'it.ooo yoiSonie o are ou tempopary Shelves in the book stack. otihers ou similar shelves ín other paris ui ihe building, and quite one-half of tlioiii in oiher buildings o-i tho campus ov at the observa tory. Thr niain reading room seats 210 readers. ín the fast two yeain ttis senfing lus often boon overtaxed. The two reading rooms for advaneed stcü.'iiis (semlnaTy rooms), are furnished for the aoroiiiiinKlhtion oí 100 readers'. Ui re tban twiee this number ïre compelled to find ac-nimniduiion ruta-e. This i-; the present condition. What win be the conditiou flve years hem e'? Ais to readers t is lian! to preüict; Thexe may be moro; there will lianlly I' ■ less. As to books wt' are in a botter cotidition to judge. The average louual löerease for the last tmoo vo,-t;s iias lioon about O.OIH) pcluines. it is reasona'ble o expeel the 6ï M'l'i'opriation by tho board, and same, oor even greater, gilts in bi lüd money to buy books. Tüat means i; the end of Qve years 30,XK) adciitional ImmUs. Mr. Oarlisle is ïighl ;n hi.s haoknoyed expression. '"The true uuSversity of these days is .■: collcction of books." President Dwïgirt of Y.vle Unlvfersity, in lus last report, alluding to an act ion by hls trustees, by whieli the Sloan bequest ■! iwu hunIred thoueanfl dolíais was added ft) the library fuml of that university, says: "Tho mfluewe of this bequest it is aoped will !).■ io cali morfe special ittcntion on the pari of graduates ank] rrtbers intereated in the Univrsity, to the importanee of siïii fmthsr increasing onr means for the pnreliase of : ioks. in all our targe nstiiirtion-s of lep.rnlng, the tbougiiis ano energies oí raosít interesrted in their growth u-e turning, more decideUly titan ereT befwe, toward their deveiopuient iü '■irüi-ular line. Xiie nced of largh'brari&s for Carge uuiversitirs is ,..:.,- ing in be more and more fully appieciated. rhe ehauges i;i the methods uil iloin.unis of education wljwh pertaiii 1.) our era readers the need imIeratire for a umrersity like ours."