Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/142

 [Voi„ v., Ho. 109.

��quarter most readily reached from the suburbs, where most of the members reside. Apart from Cambridge, the members arc far more largely distributed, than elsewhere, along the lines of the two roi!wa3-s whieli have their stations in the ' Back'lJay ' district; and this region will be dlreetly entered by the new bridge which is to connect Cambridge with Boston. The Massachusetts institntc of tech- nology with ila Society of arts, the Boston society of natnral history, and the Medical school of Harvard college, are already there. Here, too, is the Mimenm of Bne arts; and, most important of all, to it will shortly be removed the Public library. The square con- taining the Medical scliuol and the site secured for the Fnblic library has i-cmaining upon it a vacant lot large enough for a building answer- ing .ill probable needs, and seemingly reserved for this very purpose. It is not, however, the only available place.

Here, then, let us construct a fire-proof building of fair proportions and creditable aspect, having one long side, I'emoved from the street, devoted to n well-lighted book- stack, and the rest to larger and smaller halls and offices. Each floor could be devoted to a single institution, with its portion of the book- stack to itself; or It might be shared by two or more smaller societies, which could choose whether they would economize their resources, — perhaps by placing their libraries under one administration, perhaps by occupying on suc- cessive evenings the same meeting-room, — or whether they would remain as independent as if in a separate building of their own. By relegating the larger part of its library to its share of the stack, each society, with its choicer books and its special appurtenances, could make its own apartment doubly as attractive as now. If feasible, a common periodical room could attract the readers of all the societies. Each story should be quickly accessible by an eleva- tor. The rooms should be heated by stenin, and every assembling- room have, in addition, an open fireplace.

Under this hospitable roof should be gath- ered, first of all, the American academy of arts

��and sciences. With ils more th.sn twenty thousand volumes, it has alt<^cther outgrown its present illy ventilated gloomy ijuarters, and must, perforce, soon take its flight to roomier parts. Next, the Massachusetts his- torical society, the aged mcmbere of which have now to climb three flights of spiral stair- case to attend a meeting, or consult a book, in a building soon likely to be taken from them by the city, and where its precious collectionB of some tliirty thousand volumes are endan- gei-ed by the immediate proximity of a theatre. Next, the collections of the Boston medical library association (fifleeu thousand volumes), now including the library of the medical school, where nearness to this school would advantage all parties. Next, the library of the Boston society of natui'al history (some twenty-five thousand volumes), which has outgrown its present quarters, and which woidd be more useful in closer proximity to other libraries than in immediate relation to its museum : this, however, being already in that general vicinity, is less important for the plan. Finally, this building should accommodate, for meeting-room at least, if not also for their smaller libraries, other societies of kindred aim, some already quartered, others in search of an abiding-place, — the Society of arts, the Appalachian mountain elnb, the Boston society of architects, the American society for psy- chical research, the Boston branch of the Archaeological institute of America, the New- England meteorological society, etc.

Then there is a nameless unoi-ganized scien- tific club in the city, which has monthly dinners here and there, and whose members come together merely to meet or to honor a guest from a distance. Could this be enlai^ed, or- ganixe. and have its headquartera in this build- ing, it would give additional reason for adding a restaurant to the attractions of the place, where, from among the frequenters of these associated (but not amalgamated) libraries, from those who visit the Public library for research, from among the out-of-town instruc- tors of the medicjil school and the technological institute, one would dally meet at luncheon or

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