Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/217

* LIBBABIES. 199 LIBBABIES. 35 em. (1-1 inches) wide, the fourth shelf making a lo-cm. ledge 94 em. above the floor. The flrst two shelves above the base should be movable, so tluit the three spaces for octavo books may be ■changed into two for quartos and small folios, or into one for folios and one for octavos. The four or five upper shelves are cheaper and stronger if fixed at octavo height, for most libraries now use relative location in which shelves are seldom moved. The best standard case is eight shelves (7 feet 8 inches) high and five tiers (1.3 feet 6 inches) long, and uprights two inches thick. On its two sides the 10 tiers of 80 shelves hold 2000 volumes in close packing. For a one or two deck stack wood is best and cheaper. Steel is necessary to carry the load of taller stacks. A good plan in growing lil)raries is to set the first cases with aisles 6 feet 4 inches wide, leaving room for narrow tables and con- venient access by readers. When necessary this broad aisle allows a new case withoiit ledge to be put in the middle and leaves the standard 75 em. (30 inches) aisle on each side. Where the public has access to the shelves this wide aisle is very desirable. Doors are now never used on library shelves except for a few rarities. Aisles should be 75 cm. at the bottom between ledges. This will give above the ledge 00 cm. for single or 105 cm. for double-ledge aisles. Tall ladders have given way to galleries 75 to 100 cm. (30 to 40 inches) wide, as quicker and safer. All books should be within the natural reach of a person five feet high. The front edges of shelves and uprights should be rounded to save wear on bindings. A flanged groove on the shelf edge to hold labels saves buying metal label-hold- ers. Before stacks or floor cases are put in, all wall-space within reach should always be shelved. A box-factory can make the cheapest possible temporiiry slielving at about 20 cents, 30 cents, 40 cents, and 50 cents for standard cases of one, two, three, and four compartments, each 75 X 20 X 25.5 cm. inside. These can be stacked in vari- ous combinations ; on top of other cases, over doors and windows, and on each other to any height. Lath tacked on ends will prevent tip- ping. Wlien no longer needed these shelves are worth nearly cost for packing-boxes. When old buildings are adapted for libraries, extra floor supports must be put under book- stacks to carry the great weight. It is wiser, ho-never, to build a wing for a stack with the weight directly on the ground. Reading-Rooms. Three types are: (1) The quiet study or reference rooms for serious work: (2) periodical rooms with rustling newspapers and noise of constant coming and going: (3) children's rooms. As readers stay longest in the study-room, it can be put in the upper story, or at a point most distant from noise. Entrances to periodical and children's rooms should be as near the street as practicable, for convenience and to keep noise away from quiet rooms. Two square meters (20 square feet) of floor-space should be allowed each reader in study-rooms. Less space will suflice in the other two. Larger libraries need separate reading-rooms for art. patents, bound newspapers, and other large special collec- tions. Small study-rooms are most costly to build and to supervise, and so are in little favor. Economy requires for general purposes a large central hall so that reference books and attend- ants need not be duplicated. Special Room.s. Even .small libraries need coat and toilet rooms near the entrance. Lavatoriea with hot and cold water are important, especially _ for children. Slany come to a library dirty, and good books. In most places books are dusty and quickly soil the hands. There should be one room in which convers.ation is allowed. The library is a kind of intellectual clubhouse; and those who wish to plaj' cliess or other quiet games, discuss books, look at pictures, hold meetings of study clubs or classes, should have a place, as well as the reader demanding quiet. A separate trustees' room is usually wasteful, and if built should serve for some use not interfering ith the infrequent trustees' meetings. A cata- logue and work room is needed for all but small libraries. As work grows, various administrative rooms are demanded. Light. Good daylight has become less essen- tial since electricity is so widely used. Acetylene gas gains steadily- in favor. Shelves should be set at right angles to or opposite windows, al- ways putting backs of books where titles can be ' most easily read. Windows, preferably on the north or east side, where they avoid direct sun- light, should reach to the ceilings and have square tops, since light-area there is wortli double that near the floor. In stacks, windows exactly op- posite centres of aisles are best. Walls should be tinted with colors that reflect instead of absorb- ing light. In many cases there is ample space for windows above the shelving, but a prison-like efTect is produced unless there are some windows at ordinary height. Bright general illumination with artificial light is needless in study-rooms. , reading-lamp should be on each table, the wire coming from below through a bored leg or sus- pended from the ceiling. Even the best liglits on ceilings or distant from tables are injurious to sensitive eyes. White-lined green glass translu- cent shades are easiest for eyes, and give all gen- eral light needed in the room. If general lights are used, they should be so arranged that direct rays do not reach the eye. Heat and ventila- tion are specially important in study, period- ical, and children's rooms, and about the loan desk. FuRNiTUKE AND FITTINGS. Except to deaden the noise in special places, avoid carpets and rugs because unsanitary in public buildings. Tile and marble floors are' noisy and cold. Interlocking rubber tile is good, but is costly. Corticine and linoleum have proved for a generation the best library floor-covering. A lift should run from the unpacking room in the basement to the cata- logue room above, and to the to]i floors if books are often sent there. Call-bells should bo single- stroke, not buzzers, to avoid noise and admit of convenient codes of sigmils. The wooden sounder or a mere click is preferable to the conunon bell. These devices save much time and needless walk- ing that annoys readers. Tables and desks for readers shoiId he "S cm. high from the floor, not 75 cm. as is usual. With chairs of various heights and footstools, these are .adapted to short peo]iIe as well as tall: but t.all people cannot sit comfortably at low tables. Large tables for a dozen people are objection- able. The best sizes are 60 X If" ""• (24 X 40 inches). 75X120 cm. (.30X48 inches), and 100 X 150 cm. (40 X 60 inches). Bentwood chairs are light, strong, and so durable as fo be chcajier
 * it is unwise to send them away if they want