How to Plan a Library Building for Library Work

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

A. — Reading Rooms Freely Open to the Public

I.	Main Reading Rooms. In the main public reading rooms space for at least 800 readers will be required, with an allowance of 30 sq. ft. per reader, exclusive of space required for catalogs and reference shelving, or about 26,800 square feet in all. This space should be divided into three rooms, so arranged that only one need be used at a time, but that all can readily be served from one delivery counter, which should be central and close to the main stacks. There should be at least 3,500 feet (linear) of shelving for free reference books in these rooms and the Card Catalogue, occupying at least 150 sq. ft., must be provided for near the delivery desk. In all the reading rooms and wherever else it is required, shelving must not be more than seven shelves in height. This gives seven feet of shelving for each running foot of wall-space. Where there is not enough wall-space for the amount of shelving called for, stacks of double shelves, back to back, may be employed, either projecting from the walls, or standing free in the room. The ceilings of the reading rooms should be kept as low as is consistent with pleasing proportions. There should be no waste spaces to be heated and kept clean. It is not desired that these reading rooms should be show rooms so as to attract sight-seers.
II.	Periodical Room, 4,000 sq. ft.; 1,500 linear feet of shelving. This room must be upon the first floor.
III.	Newspaper Room, about 4,000 sq. ft. area, on first floor. Store room for bound newspapers adjacent, either in main stack or separate room.
IV.	Patents Room, 2,500 feet of shelving; 25 readers, 3,500 sq. ft.
V.	Public Document Rooms, 4,000 sq. ft.
VI.	Children’s Room, 4,000 sq. ft.; 1,000 feet of shelving; 80 readers.
VII.	Library for the Blind, 800 sq. ft.; 20 readers; 225 feet of shelving; on first floor.

B. — Reading Rooms for Scholars and Special Students

(Admission by card.)
VIII.	Special Reading Rooms, 5 or 6 rooms, each with 1,000 to 1,500 feet of shelving; and from 1,800 to 2,000 sq. ft.; on second and third floors.
IX.	Manuscript Department, 1 store room, 800 sq. ft.; 1 reading room for 6 readers, 340 sq. ft.; 1 librarian’s room, 340 sq. ft.
X.	Music Room, 1,600 feet of shelving; 800 sq. ft.
XI.	Bible Room, 1,000 feet of shelving; 800 sq. ft.; 6 readers.
XII.	Map Room, 1,000 sq. ft.
XIII.	Special Work Rooms for special students, 8 rooms, each 150 sq. ft. with 100 linear feet of shelving.

C — Lending Department

XIV. Lending Delivery Room. Delivery counter at least 60 feet long; seats for 150 waiting; 2,000 feet of shelving; catalog space; bulletin boards; about 16,000 sq. ft. Small reference collection here.

The stack of books in this room should be close to the main stack, and have machine communication with the delivery desks in the main reading rooms. Basement floor.

D — Exhibition Rooms Open to the Public

XV.	Picture Gallery, 5,000 sq. ft. (The Lenox Gallery is 40 ft. × 56 ft.)
XVI.	Stuart Collection Room, 5,000 sq. ft., must be on same floor with the Picture Gallery and with easy access to main Reading Room.
XVII.	An Exhibition Room for the History of Printing, etc., 4,000 sq. ft. May be on the first story, and some smaller rooms for the same purpose may be provided on the third story.

E. — Administrative Rooms Not Open to the Public

XVIII.	Trustees’ Room, 800 sq. ft., near the Director’s rooms, with a large safe for the Secretary, and open fireplace.
XIX.	Director’s Rooms. 1 office, 900 sq. ft.; 1 private room with lavatory, 600 sq. ft. Near to Trustees’ Room; also to Order Room. Open fireplaces. This must come between the Public and the Administrative part.
XX.	Order Department, 2,600 sq. ft.; 300 feet of shelving. Between Director’s Office and Cataloguing Room.
XXI.	Cataloguing Room, 2,800 sq, ft.; 1,000 feet of shelving. To connect easily with Order Room, Receiving Room, Accessions Room and Stacks and Printing Office. Cloak Room and Lavatory for Women appended.
XXII.	Accessions Department, 1,800 sq. ft.; 150 feet of shelving. To connect with Cataloguing Room and with Stacks.
XXIII.	Receiving and Checking Room for Books, 1,500 sq. ft.; 600 feet of shelving. To connect with Packing and Delivery Rooms, and with Cataloguing Room, by elevator.
XXIV.	Packing and Delivery Room, 500 feet of shelving. On driveway; easy connection with Receiving Room and with Duplicate Room; also with store-room for boxes in cellar. 3,600 sq. ft.
XXV.	Duplicate and Exchange Room, 50 ft. × 60 ft.; 3,000 sq. ft.; 4,000 linear feet of shelving; may be in base of stack. Easy connection with Packing Room.
XXVI.	Main Stack Room for 1,500,000 Volumes; 187,500 linear feet of shelving. This amount of shelving (allowing for proper ventilating arrangements and dust tubes) can be contained in six tiers of stacks, each tier being 240 ft. × 75 ft. with 5-foot corridor all around, 5-foot corridor on long axis, and 15-foot corridor on short axis, straight stairs at ends and at centre. Stacks 5 ft. between centres, 7 ft. 6 in. in height; ends of stacks 5 ft. from windows.
XXVII.	Binding Department. 2,400 sq. ft., with Stock Room 250 sq. ft. Furnace flue required.
XXVIII.	Printing Office, 1,200 sq. ft. Stock Room, 200 sq. ft. Furnace flue required. XXVII and XXVIII to be on south front, next each other, with small dumb waiter connection with Cataloguing Room and separate chimney flues.
XXIX.	Business Superintendent’s Office, 400 sq. ft., two rooms, safe in one.
XXX.	Photograph Rooms 500 sq. ft. Top floor. Skylight to North. Dark room. Printing room.
XXXI.	Lunch Rooms, one for boys and attendants; one for librarians and assistant librarians, etc. Basement, 800 sq. ft. Chimney flue.
XXXII.	Class Room, to seat about 150; 850 sq. ft. To be near the Director’s Room.
XXXIII.	Stock and Store Room, general. 400 sq. ft.
XXXIV.	Eight or Ten Rooms, of about 200 sq. ft. each, for store rooms and special work rooms = 1,600 sq. ft. One for scrub women.
XXXV.	Central Telephone Office for the house.
XXXVI.	Engineer’s Department. Boiler rooms; Dynamo room; Work-shop; Engine room; Living rooms for Janitor—30,000 sq. ft.
XXXVII.	Boilers, Engines and Dynamos to be outside the building, in vault about 120 ft. × 40 ft., south of building and near its S. W. corner, with coal vaults extending beneath sidewalk.
XXXVIII.	Dust Tubes and Closets, with electric fans; to be arranged in stacks, and for open reference shelves.

F. — Miscellaneous

XXXIX.	Two Reception Rooms. One for staff, 600 sq. ft. One for visitors, 600 sq. ft.
XL.	Women’s Room, 200 sq. ft., with lavatory, on third floor.
XLI.	Two Cloak and Parcel and Bicycle Rooms, 600 sq. ft. each, near Forty-second Street entrance.
XLII.	Public Telephone Room, 60 sq. ft. Main Hall.
XLIII.	Public Lavatories and W. C. Two in the Basement and two on the 3d Floor. Staff lavatories and W. C. are to be provided, two in basement, four on second floor. There must be wash-stands in or near children’s room, cataloguer’s room, packing room and receiving room, arranged on the main lines of plumbing.
XLIV.	Elevators, two or more, for use of public in Main Hall. One in Administrative portion. Book lifts.