LIBRARY PAMPHLET ISSUED.

The report of the committee appointed by the University Corporation on December 30, 1901, to study the future needs of the College Library has just been published and will be ready for distribution today.

This report is a preliminary statement of the needs which at present exist and of which a detailed presentation will be made later. That the present building is quite unable to meet the reasonable demands of the College has been pointed out repeatedly in several reports of President Eliot and of the Librarian.

In the committee's report, a comparison between Harvard and five other leading Eastern colleges shows Harvard to be far behind in library equipment, though leading all in number of volumes. The committee has sought to obtain from those most concerned information particularly in regard to three points: The relation of the special reference libraries to the central library; the possibility of separating "live" from "dead" books; the probable expediency of enlarging the present building as compared with erecting a new building.

In regard to the fundamental question of splitting up a number of separate libraries or of maintaining a central collection, the expression of opinion is unanimous in favor of maintaining a strong central library.

The policy in regard to special reference libraries varies according to the character of each special case. These libraries fall into three classes and the policy for each class is pointed out in detail in the report. Just as the Scientific Department has now secured admirable laboratory facilities, so the departments which use the library as their laboratory need similar equipment. Too much stress cannot be laid on the importance of such provision on an adequate scale. On equipment even more than on any increase in the supply of books, must depend during the next twenty years the continuance of the precedence of the Harvard Library among American college libraries.

In regard to the second subject, the expediency of dividing "live" from "dead" books, no radically different method from the present one is recommended. Careful consideration is given of the relation that the Library should have to other libraries of Boston and vicinity.

Finally the question of the relative advantage of enlarging the present building or of erecting a new one is treated. Though the committee has studied no specific building plans it considers that a permanent, satisfactory result will be more surely secured by a new building. The suggestion has been made that this building be situated on some part of the quadrangle bounded on three sides by Oxford street, Kirkland street, and Divinity avenue, as this situation is near to many working buildings of the University, to the two dining halls, and is free from noise and dust. The committee is not prepared to recommend finally any situation, but is inclined to favor the present one in the southeast corner of the College Yard, as it is probably nearer the centre of College population and makes the Library almost the first building seen by visitors coming from Boston.

The future needs may be stated very briefly as follows: Two or more large reading rooms, in which are to be kept general reference books, current periodicals, and reserved books; a series of rooms having as far as possible the privacy of home libraries, one for each department for its advance students; a book stack substantially like the present one, large enough to hold the accessions of at least the next fifteen years, with definite plans for future enlargement; suitable rooms for books on fine arts and archaeology, and for various historical material; and convenient administration rooms A study in detail of the requirements under each of these five heads is made very carefully and covers about nine pages of the report.

Though impossible to give any precise estimate, the committee has reached the following rough calculation of the cost: Reading rooms,  $132,300 Special reference, etc.,  88,200 Stack,  281,328 Special collections,  69,300 Administration,  72,900 Total,  $644,028

Allowance must be made for corridors, stairways, etc., making the total probably about $750,000.

It is evident that even if the means were at hand to erect such a building as is wanted, the Corporation ought to have an additional fund of half a million to provide for an enlarged expenditure for administration; and that a million would be required to make the Library independent of the College and enable it to carry on its work easily and effectively.

The report will be distributed to all persons interested in the subject, from whom it is hoped valuable suggestions and criticisms may be received. Besides this detailed report, a special circular will be sent out probably today to all professors asking for statements of their opinions and about the relation of their courses to the Library.

Allowance must be made for corridors, stairways, etc., making the total probably about $750,000.

It is evident that even if the means were at hand to erect such a building as is wanted, the Corporation ought to have an additional fund of half a million to provide for an enlarged expenditure for administration; and that a million would be required to make the Library independent of the College and enable it to carry on its work easily and effectively.

The report will be distributed to all persons interested in the subject, from whom it is hoped valuable suggestions and criticisms may be received. Besides this detailed report, a special circular will be sent out probably today to all professors asking for statements of their opinions and about the relation of their courses to the Library.