Title
William Munroe letter on Concord Free Public Library expansion
Subject
Concord Free Public Library
Description
William Munroe wrote a letter to the Concord Free Public Library Corporation detailing his plans for a future expansion of the Library with an art museum attached. Here is the text of the letter:
To the President and Members of the Corporation of the Concord Free Public Library
Gentlemen
I have said that the Public Library was intended to be capable of enlargement without disturbing the original plan of construction.
Acting on the suggestion that I should leave on record my ideas of a suitable plan for such enlargement, I have had drawings prepared by the architect, after the present building, and now have the pleasure of offering them for acceptance and preservation with the records of the Library Corporation; not to be used for exhibition.
The present building, by a little judicious crowding has capacity to answer all the probable demands for book room for a long period of prosperous growth of this town. When, however, there shall in a distant future arrive a time that more room must be provided, the lending department should be seperated [sic]from the general library by its removal to an auxiliary building devoted exclusively to its use.
The plans I present provide for such a building, connected with the present Library by a corridor, but having its main entrance on Sudbury Street. It will have space for shelving more than 36,000 volumes, arranged on one floor in that concentrated manner now approved for lending libraries, with all the convenient rooms required for the administration of that department. This is a Book Capacity greater than is likely ever to be wanted for the lending department; but its spare room would, in time, become useful to the general Library as a place of deposit for its duplicates and pamphlets, and perhaps, for some classes of voluminous books, seldom used, that might be shelved there at little inconvenience should the original building ever again become crowded.
The present building will thus become the General and Reference Library—the main room to be fitted with increased accommodations for the convenience of students and general readers; the present reading room serving for newspapers, or for offices.
The experience of the next fifty years in the management of Public Libraries will enable whoever shall after that have charge of this Institution to judge more wisely than we could do now, what special arrangements will then be best.
Collections of works of Art, worthy of study, will in this Country, long be rare except in the larger cities; and as paintings, engravings and statuary are fit companions for books, that local Public Library will be thought lacking an important feature which does not provide rooms specially adapted to their reception and study.
The want of such rooms will be felt in Concord, and any plan for the extension of the Library should be unacceptable which does not provide for supplying it. It is only by having proper accommodation for works of Art that a collection can be hoped for. A fine building, well adapted to the purpose, would be a perpetual invitation to possessors of Art treasures to consider the wisdom of bestowing them on the public.
Included in the plans I present are those of a building for a Fine Art Department of the Library, to be connected with the other departments by corridors, but having its public entrance on Main Street.
The erection of this structure, while adding a valuable element of usefulness to the Library, would perfect the architectural symetry [sic] of the group of buildings, and instead of disturbing, would complete the original plan of construction.
To what other use, this department should be devoted, if to any besides those branches of the Fine Arts, must necessarily be left to the wisdom of the Library Corporation. Its rooms are so arranged as to encourage a division into several sections. Among them might be one for objects illustrating and assisting the study of local history.
Offices for the managers of these departments, including store rooms, work-rooms etc. are placed in the central rear of all these buildings, and are conveniently accessible from them all. There is space, and it would, I think, be wise to enlarge the plans of those offices, and perhaps add to their number.
The drawings do not include working details, but are such as sufficiently explain themselves to enable any competent architect to prepare from them whatever further plans would be needed should a construction of either of these buildings require them.
It is intended that the materials used in the construction of these edifices shall conform to those in the original Library Building, and harmonize with its characteristic style—and it is very desirable that they be made more nearly fireproof than that building, by placing the wooden floors in a bed of cement, supported on brick arches—at least so much of them as would be near the furnace room below—and that the connections of the corridors be made absolutely fireproof.
The execution of these plans would necessitate some enlargement of the Library grounds. The adjoining land of the Town, on which a School House now stands, I have supposed would soon be no longer wanted for its present purpose, and would be acquired by the Library Corporation. When that time arrives, it would be well to occupy it, till wanted for the proposed Library extension, as a site for a dwelling for the Librarian or the curator. And as alone it would be quite too small for building upon I have thought it desirable to secure so much of the land in its rear as would enlarge it to tolerable dimensions for that purpose—and at the same time secure all the additional land that will ultimately be required for the erection of the Lending Library and Art Building.
I have therefore purchased and conveyed to the Library Corporation so much of the adjoining land of Mr. Cyrus Benjamin as will be required for both purposes.
Respectfully your servant
Concord, Sept. 6, 1875
Wm. Munroe
To the President and Members of the Corporation of the Concord Free Public Library
Gentlemen
I have said that the Public Library was intended to be capable of enlargement without disturbing the original plan of construction.
Acting on the suggestion that I should leave on record my ideas of a suitable plan for such enlargement, I have had drawings prepared by the architect, after the present building, and now have the pleasure of offering them for acceptance and preservation with the records of the Library Corporation; not to be used for exhibition.
The present building, by a little judicious crowding has capacity to answer all the probable demands for book room for a long period of prosperous growth of this town. When, however, there shall in a distant future arrive a time that more room must be provided, the lending department should be seperated [sic]from the general library by its removal to an auxiliary building devoted exclusively to its use.
The plans I present provide for such a building, connected with the present Library by a corridor, but having its main entrance on Sudbury Street. It will have space for shelving more than 36,000 volumes, arranged on one floor in that concentrated manner now approved for lending libraries, with all the convenient rooms required for the administration of that department. This is a Book Capacity greater than is likely ever to be wanted for the lending department; but its spare room would, in time, become useful to the general Library as a place of deposit for its duplicates and pamphlets, and perhaps, for some classes of voluminous books, seldom used, that might be shelved there at little inconvenience should the original building ever again become crowded.
The present building will thus become the General and Reference Library—the main room to be fitted with increased accommodations for the convenience of students and general readers; the present reading room serving for newspapers, or for offices.
The experience of the next fifty years in the management of Public Libraries will enable whoever shall after that have charge of this Institution to judge more wisely than we could do now, what special arrangements will then be best.
Collections of works of Art, worthy of study, will in this Country, long be rare except in the larger cities; and as paintings, engravings and statuary are fit companions for books, that local Public Library will be thought lacking an important feature which does not provide rooms specially adapted to their reception and study.
The want of such rooms will be felt in Concord, and any plan for the extension of the Library should be unacceptable which does not provide for supplying it. It is only by having proper accommodation for works of Art that a collection can be hoped for. A fine building, well adapted to the purpose, would be a perpetual invitation to possessors of Art treasures to consider the wisdom of bestowing them on the public.
Included in the plans I present are those of a building for a Fine Art Department of the Library, to be connected with the other departments by corridors, but having its public entrance on Main Street.
The erection of this structure, while adding a valuable element of usefulness to the Library, would perfect the architectural symetry [sic] of the group of buildings, and instead of disturbing, would complete the original plan of construction.
To what other use, this department should be devoted, if to any besides those branches of the Fine Arts, must necessarily be left to the wisdom of the Library Corporation. Its rooms are so arranged as to encourage a division into several sections. Among them might be one for objects illustrating and assisting the study of local history.
Offices for the managers of these departments, including store rooms, work-rooms etc. are placed in the central rear of all these buildings, and are conveniently accessible from them all. There is space, and it would, I think, be wise to enlarge the plans of those offices, and perhaps add to their number.
The drawings do not include working details, but are such as sufficiently explain themselves to enable any competent architect to prepare from them whatever further plans would be needed should a construction of either of these buildings require them.
It is intended that the materials used in the construction of these edifices shall conform to those in the original Library Building, and harmonize with its characteristic style—and it is very desirable that they be made more nearly fireproof than that building, by placing the wooden floors in a bed of cement, supported on brick arches—at least so much of them as would be near the furnace room below—and that the connections of the corridors be made absolutely fireproof.
The execution of these plans would necessitate some enlargement of the Library grounds. The adjoining land of the Town, on which a School House now stands, I have supposed would soon be no longer wanted for its present purpose, and would be acquired by the Library Corporation. When that time arrives, it would be well to occupy it, till wanted for the proposed Library extension, as a site for a dwelling for the Librarian or the curator. And as alone it would be quite too small for building upon I have thought it desirable to secure so much of the land in its rear as would enlarge it to tolerable dimensions for that purpose—and at the same time secure all the additional land that will ultimately be required for the erection of the Lending Library and Art Building.
I have therefore purchased and conveyed to the Library Corporation so much of the adjoining land of Mr. Cyrus Benjamin as will be required for both purposes.
Respectfully your servant
Concord, Sept. 6, 1875
Wm. Munroe
Rights
Material courtesy of the William Munroe Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library
Creator
William Munroe
Source
Concord Free Public Library Corporation
Publisher
Concord Free Public Library
Date
1875
Language
English
Type
Letter
Original Format
Letter