Chapter I: Front Matter

USEFUL REFERENCE SERIES NO. 7

How to Plan a Library Building for Library Work

Prelude

Every public building should express, with dignity
Its individual type, use, place, and era.

A library is a prominent public building
As practical and technical as a schoolhouse;
A workshop for the future, not a relic of the past.
Seldom rich enough for its needs, it abhors waste.
Change and growth will soon supplant it.
Build it for use, not show; for now, not for ever:—
Tastefully, tactfully, thriftily, thoroughly.

To plan it, find an able librarian,
To construct it, get a skillful architect,
To control both, choose a wise committee.
These three, by patient study and debate,
Can satisfy taste without sacrificing use—
Achieving complete and felicitous success.

HOW TO PLAN
A LIBRARY BUILDING
FOR LIBRARY WORK

By CHARLES C. SOULE
A.B. Harv. 1862

_Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas_
—VITRUVIUS DE ARCHITECTURA

BOSTON
THE BOSTON BOOK COMPANY
1912

COPYRIGHT, 1912
BY CHARLES C. SOULE

_The Riverdale Press, Brookline, Boston, Mass._

To
The Architect
who is the Librarian’s best friend
when they plan together
a sound, useful and beautiful building
this volume is inscribed

EDITORIAL PREFACE

Of the author of this volume it was said by President Hill at the 1906 A. L. A. Conference, “he has given the subject of Library Architecture more thought and attention, probably, than any other member.”

Mr. Soule is well known to older librarians. To introduce him to a younger generation and to architects, we would say that although he is a publisher and bookseller, and not professionally a librarian, he has had an effective training in library science. He joined the American Library Association in 1879, became at once a working member, has attended twenty Conferences, and has been elected to office, as follows:

1888-1899—Trustee of the Brookline (Mass.) Public Library.
1890-1908—Publishing Board, A. L. A.
1890—Vice-president.
1893-1896, 1900-1905—Member of the Council.
1894-1906—Trustee Endowment Fund.
1906-1912—Member of the Institute.

In 1890, when a prominent trustee had been quoted as saying, “it was no use consulting librarians about building, for no two of them agree on any one point,” he wrote, and the 1890 Conference unanimously adopted, “Points of Agreement among Librarians on Library Architecture.”

In 1892 he published in the Boston press an exhaustive series of nine letters, taking the side of the librarians of the country against what they thought to be radical errors in the management and building of the Boston Public Library.

In 1901 he wrote the article “Library,” for Sturgis’s Dictionary of Architecture.

In 1902 he wrote the A. L. A. tract on “Library Rooms and Buildings.”

For forty active years in business as a bookseller, he has handled and issued books.

For over thirty years of membership in the A. L. A. he has been intimate with leading librarians.

In the Boston controversy, he felt obliged to investigate thoroughly every point he criticized on behalf of the librarians.

When elected as a trustee in Brookline he found a very conservative board at the time the new developments of library progress were slowly gaining ground, and had to go to the bottom of every new method before the board could be persuaded to try it.

During the last five years Mr. Soule has frequently been called on as an expert, and has been through all the detail of building problems of several different grades.

All this educated him in such a school of experience that Mr. Dewey thus spoke of him at one of the A. L. A. Conferences: “When people ask who are the most active and efficient librarians in America we are almost sure to name two or three men who are not librarians at all; for instance, R. R. Bowker and C. C. Soule.”

After such experience, we can commend what the author has to say, to respectful attention.

Illustrations have been suggested, but have not been included in this volume lest they should increase the bulk and price too much. If they are asked for, we will issue a separate volume of illustrative plates.

FREDERICK W. FAXON,
_Editor Useful Reference Series_.

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

On being asked to write on “Library Architecture” for this series I hesitated, knowing little about the subject except as applied to the insides of libraries. But on this limited branch I have had some experience which I am willing to embody under the narrower title finally chosen, for the benefit of librarians, architects, and building committees. I even venture to hope some chapters may get to the notice of trustees, donors, and other citizens interested in libraries.

The themes of this volume are:

Preëminence of utility over display.
The practical nature of library work.
The importance and variety of its details.
Their differentiation from other kinds of work.
The vital need of consulting library experts.

The treatment adopted is, to cover every point and touch on every detail involved in building a large library of any class. I hope that readers interested in lesser libraries, even those of small grades, may be able to pick out hints to help them, or at least to look ahead to growth and larger problems yet to come.

I have not undertaken to discuss methods of library work, and only allude to them so far as they affect construction. Nor have I undertaken to recommend specific makes of furniture or fittings, although I have felt free in a few instances to suggest principles which should govern selection.

I have not trusted entirely to experience or to advice received from librarians and architects; but wishing to treat thoroughly so momentous a subject, I have spent six months in search through all authorities in England as well as in America, including back volumes of the library periodicals. I did not expect to get much help from England, where methods differ from ours, but I find the transatlantic writers are so thoroughly in accord with us as to the need of expert advice in planning, that I have cited their views copiously.

To all these sources, and to countless friends, I am so indebted for suggestions and advice that I look on myself as an editor of professional opinion, rather than as an original author. But I assume responsibility, while rendering sincere thanks to all authorities quoted or unquoted.

Within the limit of one volume it has been possible only to sketch principles without describing details under every subject as in a manual. I have been asked to illustrate this volume with views and plans, but the publishers find that this would double its size and price. They have therefore decided to wait and test the actual demand by inquiry. If enough purchasers wish a second volume, one will be issued.

For my general principles I expect endorsement from all librarians. As to details, I do not ask so much for endorsement as for criticism—not mere fault-finding, but helpful constructive criticism, pointing out something better than is herein advocated. If interest and discussion are stimulated, and library science is thereby in any degree advanced, I shall feel that my work has not been wasted.

CHARLES C. SOULE.

BROOKLINE, MASS.

WORKS CITED

Abbreviation

Adams, Herbert B. Adams
Public Libraries and Popular Education.
Albany, N. Y., 1900.

Billings, Dr. John S. Billings V. & H.
On Ventilation and Heating.
New York, 1893.

Boston School Document No. 14.
See Report of Oculists.

Bostwick, Arthur E. Bostw.
The American Public Library.
New York, 1910.

Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration. Brochure.
Vols. 1-9.
Boston, 1895-1903.

Brown. See Duff-Brown.

Burgoyne, F. J. Burg.
Library Construction, etc.
London, 1897.

Champneys, A. I. Champ.
Public Libraries.
London, 1907.

Clark, John Willis. Clark.
Care of Books.
Cambridge (Eng.), 1901.

Cotgreave, Alfred. Cotgr.
Views, etc., of Public Libraries.
London, 1901.

Cravath & Lansingh. C. & L.
Practical Illumination.
New York, 1907.

Dana, John Cotton. Dana, L. Prim.
Library Primer.
Chicago, 1910.

Dana, John Cotton. Dana, L. Prob.
Library Problems.
No date.

Duff-Brown, James. Duff-Brown or D. B.
Manual of Library Economy.
London, 1907.

Eastman, William R. Eastm.
Library Building Plans.
Albany, N. Y., 1906.

Edwards, Edward. Edw.
Free Town Libraries.
London, 1869.

Fletcher, William L. Fletch.
Public Libraries in America.
Boston, 1894.

Garnett, Dr. Richard. Garnett.
Essays in Librarianship, etc.
London, 1899.

International Library Conference (Second). Int. Lib. Conf.
London, 1907.

Koch, Theodore W. Koch.
Portfolio of Carnegie Libraries.
Ann Arbor, Mich., 1907.

Librarian (The). Libn.
Vols. 1-2.
London, 1910-12.

Library (The). Libr.
I, vols. 1-10; II, 1-10; III, 1-3.
London, 1889-1912.

Library Assistant. Lib. Asst.
Vols. 1-9.
London, 1898-1912.

Library Association Record. Lib. Ass. Rec.
Vols. 1-14.
London, 1899-1912.

Library Chronicle. Lib. Chron.
Vols. 1-5.
London, 1884-1888.

Library Journal. L. J.
Vols. 1-37.
New York, 1876-1912.

Library Notes. Lib. No.
Vols. 1-4.
Boston, 1887-1898.

Library World. L. W.
14 vols.
London, 1898-1912.

Marvin, Miss Cornelia. Marv.
Small Library Buildings.
Boston, 1908.

Massachusetts Free Public Library Commission: Mass. P. L. 1899.
Ninth Report.
Boston, 1899.

Public Libraries. P. L.
Vols. 1-17.
Chicago, 1896-1912.

Public Libraries in the United States. P. L., 1876.
Special Report, Superintendent of Education. Part 1.
Washington, 1876.

Report of Oculists and Electricians. Bost. Sc. Doc. No. 14.
School Board Document, No. 14.
Boston, 1907.

Sturgis’s Dictionary of Architecture, etc. Sturgis.
New York, 1901.

CONTENTS

Page

=Book A—Introduction= 1

EVOLUTION OF LIBRARY BUILDING 3

The Dawn of History 3

Ancient History 4

Mediæval History 6

Modern History 10

Our Own Era 13

Forecasting the Years 16
The Present 16
The Next Quarter Century 16

_Firmitas_, _Utilitas_, _Venustas_ 19

_Firmitas_ 20

_Utilitas_ 21

_Venustas_ 22

Is There an Irrepressible Conflict? 25

Library Science 27

Architecture 29

Where does the Library Come in? 31

What Conflict is Possible? 32

What Contest is Likely? 34

Where Lies the Blame? 35

Grades and Classes 36

Small Library Buildings 38
Minimum 38
Small 42

Moderate and Medium Libraries 44

Very Large Buildings 45

CLASSES OF LIBRARIES 47

Private and Club 47

Proprietary, Institutional 49

Professional 51
Scientific 51
Medical 52
Theological 52
Special and Business 52
Law 54

Government and Historical 56

National 56

State 56

Historical 58

Antiquarian 59

Educational 60
School 60
College 61
University 61

Public 65
Central 65
Branch 67
Suburban 70

Exceptional Cases 71
Middle of Blocks 71
Top Floors 71
With Museums or Art Galleries 72
Alterations and Enlargements 73
Altering New Buildings 74

=Book B—Principles= 77

Spirit of Planning 79

Taste, Tact, Thrift, Thoroughness 81

Economy Paramount 83

Economy of Expert Advice 87

Problem Always New 89

Plan Inside First 90

Never Copy Blindly 92

Study other Libraries 94

The Life of a Library Building 97

The Time to Build 99

Size and Cost 102
Cutting down Cost 104

Open Access 107

Light, Warmth, Fresh Air 108

Faults to Look For 109

Frankness among Librarians 110

Service and Supervision 112

Decoration, Ornament 114

Architectural Styles 117

Amateurs Dangerous 120

Dry-rot Deadening 121

=Book C—Personnel= 123

The Public 125

Place of the Library Among Buildings 128

The Donor 130

The Institution 133

The Trustees 134

The Building Committee 136

Free Advice 137

The Local Librarian as an Expert 141

The Library Adviser 143

Selecting an Architect 146

A Word to the Architect 150

Which Should Prevail? 152

Architectural Competitions 154

Judges of Competition 158

Order of Work 159

=Book D—Features= 163

Site 165

Provision for Growth 168
Exterior 169
Interior 169
Limitations 170

Approaches, Entrances 172

Halls and Passages 175

Stairs 176

Stories and Rooms 179

Walls: Ceilings: Partitions 183

Floors and Floor Coverings 185

Roofs: Domes 187

Alcoves: Galleries 189

Light 191

Light, Natural 193

Windows 196

Light, Artificial 201

Indirect Lighting 205

Heating and Ventilation 209

Plumbing, Drains, Sewers 215

Cleanliness 217

Protection from Enemies 219

Fireproof Vaults 223

Central Spaces 224

Lifts and Elevators 228

Mechanical Carriers 230

Telephones and Tubes 232

=Book E—Departments and Rooms= 233