In a large library, with courtyard, or even without, an inclined approach to the basement is possible. In St. Louis it runs from one street corner, down along a side of the building, then turns into an open underground entrance to the basement. Such a passageway takes from the street the library’s vehicles for branch service, etc., and if there is space inside, and the surrounding streets are narrow, it might well give safety for visitor’s vehicles.
Duff-Brown[255] thinks bicycles are best housed outside. Champneys[256] says, “don’t allow them in corridors.”
In busy thoroughfares of large cities, or, indeed, in small cities in this age of street Juggernauts, provision may well be made for safe ingress and egress for decrepit readers near the curbstones. Some forethought, taken by architect in conjunction with street-car officials, would land many users in the new building without much of the flurry and danger which often hovers over the approaches.
PART II
BOOK STORAGE
The several rooms will be treated separately, also different methods of shelving. The phrase “book rooms” is not used herein as in England, where book store or book room means only book storage, as distinguished from staff rooms and reading rooms, but will include all kinds of shelving, whether used for book storage only or combined with handling and reading.
In an article on Book-storage by H. Woodbine in a recent number of The Library Association Record,[257] he states the factors of past development as,—
- 1. Economy of space.
- 2. Economy of cost.
- 3. Expansibility.
- 4. Adjustability.
- 5. Safety from fire.
- 6. Protection of books (from pests, dirt, damp, etc.)
- 7. Convenience in service.
It is well to bear all these in mind when planning any library, though I should put the last first, and add cleanliness. They would serve as comprehensive tests of all kinds of shelving, wooden or metal; wall, floor, or stack. They are such important details in library service that I will take up the different forms of shelving in considerable detail.