Since writing the above, I have had a letter from Miss Marvin, from which I quote, “I should like to suggest that you advise small libraries to consider their state library commissions as their official advisers in the matter of building. They could help in detail work, pass upon their plans, and above all prepare the instructions for the architect before he begins to draw. Out in our part of the country in smaller towns, there are very few competent architects, and a great many beginners, who do not ask or expect instructions from the library boards. They simply draw pictures of their ideas of interiors and exteriors of libraries.”
See Light, artificial, [p. 201]; and Ventilation, windows-system, [p. 210].
Moderate and Medium Libraries
Buildings to cost anywhere from $20,000 to $1,000,000 present much the same kind of problems, varied more by class than by cost, but growing more complicated, of course, with increased size and scope.
To quote again:[34]
“As a library grows, the rudimentary divisions still prevail, sub-divided according to special needs, such as Separation of books, as under art, music, patents, etc; Separation of work, as librarians, delivery, janitor, etc.; Separation of readers, as adults, children, serious and light reading, etc.”
The architect’s special parts of the problem, construction and exterior, grow rather less than the librarian’s. The latter’s problems increase with the number of departments and rooms, The principles remain substantially the same, but their application to the relations of books, administration and readers requires more study. The necessity for special experience and maturer judgment becomes greater and greater, and the librarian’s side of consultation needs strengthening with every thousand cubic feet of size to be apportioned rightly. With increased size the diversities of use between different classes of libraries become more technical and intricate. Unless the local librarian is expert and mature he needs an able and experienced adviser to be able to hold his own with the architect, who will wish his problem more thoroughly and authoritatively presented as it becomes more complex.