One reason for this postponement is this: that several details must be studied, experimented on, and perfected before fully equipped rooms of this kind can be considered as tried out and permanently satisfactory. Lymburn’s scheme seems good, but the plans presented by Champneys and the dealers do not work out well on examination as regards space, light or handling. I suggest as problems to be investigated,—
- Smooth and sure working of the mechanism.
- Easy access to top and rear for repairs.
- Access for cleaning and ventilation.
- Incidence of weight (this is not even on floors as in a stack; but is moving, as on bridges).
- Lighting (most important) on each face of each case.
- Floors sure to remain true.
- Width of center aisles for all emergencies.
See Bookworms, [p. 222].
PART III
READERS’ ROOMS
Reading Generally
F. B. Perkins[310] divides reading into three classes: Entertainment, Acquisition of knowledge, Authorship. This epitomizes our American division of reading rooms.
What I shall call the light-reading room will provide for all who drop in at a library to pass a quiet, restful, recreative half hour, a very large proportion of readers. They are attracted by the lighter magazines, the illustrated weeklies and monthlies, and books into which they can dip pleasantly for a few moments. This is generally known as the periodical room.
The serious reading room, usually called the reading room, is intended for such readers as get books from the shelves to study or read earnestly and long, or are preparing themes, papers, newspaper articles—even (when there is slender provision of separate study rooms) where they are writing books.
I would add a fourth use of a library—perhaps the commonest—as it helps all other classes, that is, what we call reference use. (In England where the reference library and its reading room seem to cover all reading of books in the library as distinguished from magazines and newspapers, this is called quick or ready reference.) A separate reference room or separate corner of the reading room near the door holds all the books to which visitors look for scraps of information, but never read consecutively.