[May, 1916 WISCONSIN LIBRARY BULLETIN 1 AMERICAN LIBRARIES V Some American University Libraries We Should Know By Phineas L. Windsor, librarian. University of Illinois. The country has so many university and college libraries, and, though fewer, still so many really good ones, that it is not easy to single out a few. These rather sketchy accounts are confined to fifteen of the larger libraries, but everyone knows that a smaller library may do its work even better than the large one. If a proper scorecard were devised and all the libraries big and little, were judged according to it by a number of qualified people, the list of fifteen would no doubt undergo changes. Excepting one, each of the fifteen has over 200,000 volumes, and the great cry is for more books, more books. If a university hopes to keep all its best profes- sors, if it hopes to attract graduate stu- dents, its resources in books must be reasonably adequate, and collections of special strength are of increasing import- ance. Altogether these libraries are spend- ing a half million dollars a year for books, binding and periodicals. Most of the information has been gathered from such printed sources as university catalogues, sometimes unreliable, from Dr. Johnstons “special collections,” the American Library Annual, and from the statistics of university libraries com- piled by Mr. Gerould. There has been no attempt at completeness, and but little at uniformity in treatment; the aim has been to* bring together briefly just a few of the facts about each library which justifies us in wishing to know more about it as an American university library. Harvard University library, Cam- bridge, Mass., (1,181,000 volumes and 700,000 pamphlets) has long been ad- ministered with conspicuous ability and has resources for study and research equalled by no other American university library. To give even a bare list of the subjects in which this library has notably strong collections would require too much space for this article; only a few will be named. The books on folklore, including legends, superstitions, magic and mediaeval romances, altogether numbering over 13,- 300 volumes, form perhaps the largest collection on this subject in existence. The German history, or Hohenzollern collection (18,600 volumes) would be a notable one even in Germany. The law library (161,000 volumes) provides un- equalled facilities for the study of law. The four thousand books on the history of the Ottoman Empire form one of the best collections on this subject ever brought together. The French history collection (23,000 volumes) and that of American history (51,000 volumes) are notably strong. Of incunabula there are nearly a thousand. Pope, Milton, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante and Tasso are a few of the authors more completely represented. In English litera- ture alone there are 31,000 volumes. The collection on the theatre (2,600 volumes) is unique, and includes thousands of play- bills, prints and autograph letters. Most of the sets indexed in Poole are in the library, and most of the publications of the great learned societies. The new Widener Memorial Library building was completed in 1915 and presented to the University by Mrs. Widener in memory of her son who was lost on the Titanic. In many respects this building and its equipment represent the latest and best thought in university library architecture, and is a fitting home for Harvard’s library. A distinguishing feature is the large number of reading stalls along the sides of the book stacks; another 2 WISCONSIN LIBRARY BULLETIN May, 1916] is the large number of small study rooms for professors. The college library includes, besides the main collection, 38 special libraries (al- together 80,000 volumes) formerly called class-room or laboratory libraries. The eleven departmental libraries (altogether 428.000 volumes) are administered some- what more independently of the college library. By its generosity in respect to interlibrarv loans, the Harvard library does much to assist research by professors in other institutions. Its current printed catalogue cards may be purchased for use in other libraries. Yale University library. New Haven, Conn., (1,000,000 volumes) includes among its collections the Day Missions library of over 15,000 volumes and pam- phlets, one of the largest in the world; the Salisbury collection of oriental manu- scripts and books, the Landberg collection of Arabic manuscripts, and the American Oriental Society library (deposited in the Yale library), which together furnish exceptional facilities for study in Semitics; the J. Sumner Smith Russian library of 6.000 volumes; and the Mason library of church music. As might be expected of so large a library, Yale is frequently called upon by other libraries for loans of its books. Brown University library, Provi- dence, R. I., (225,000 volumes) includes the John Carter Brown library (20,000 volumes), known everywhere for its early and rare Americana. Most of the books in this special library were printed before 1800. A separate building is provided for its use. The University library proper includes the Harris collection of American poetry (15,000 volumes) said to be the largest in the world; the Rider collection of Rhode Island history; and the Church collection (3,500 volumes) on South America. Columbia University, New York, besides having access to the remarkable book collections of the metropolis, has itself built up a library (630,075 volumes) which in size ranks third among American universities. Its Avery architectural lib- rary (23,000 volumes), since 1911 has occupied, with the architecture depart- ment, a separate building and is one of the country’s notable collections. In phil- osophy and education the library is re- markably strong. The Townsend library of national, state and individual war records, is another of special collections. Columbia is one of the half-dozen university libraries most frequently called upon by other libraries for loans of books. The library building was given in 1897 by Seth Low, at that time President of the University; architecturally it is un- usually dignified and beautiful and is worthy its commanding site near the Hudson. No other American university library building is so often pictorially reproduced; it belongs to the whole country. Princeton University library, Prince- ton, N. J., (373,224 volumes) outgrew the old Chancellor Green library building and now occupies both that and the new Pyne library building, the two being connected by the delivery room. Special collections include the Morgan collection of Vergils (672 volumes); the Garrett collection of Oriental, chiefly Arabic, manuscripts (2,400 volumes); the Pierson civil war collection (6,691 volumes, besides pamphlets and clippings); and a collection of cuneiform documents (1,100 tablets). The Princeton Theological Seminary library, which is separately administered, adds large col- lections in theology and church history. The University of Pennsylvania lib- rary, Philadelphia, (421,097 volumes) has unusually rich collections in finance and political economy; in the classics, the Leutsch library alone numbering 20,000 volumes; in works on the American drama; and in Dante literature. Johns Hopkins University, Balti- more, like most universities in large cities, depends more or less on other libraries in the city. Its own library (190,814 volumes) has consisted largely of departmental collections and in the new $600,000 Gilman Hall recently completed on the new [May, 1916 WISCONSIN LIBRARY BULLETIN 3 campus, the essential convenience of this arrangement will be preserved. Among the special collections in this library is one of the official publications of American trade unions, said to be probably the best in the country; and another of books, pamphlets, manuscripts etc. re- lating to southern history, the Civil war, and slavery. Cornell University library, Ithaca, N. Y., (461,129 volumes) includes a large number of notable collections; among them are the President White historical library (20,000 volumes) strong in the history of the Reformation, the French revolution, the American Civil war, and superstitions; the Spinoza collection (525 volumes); probably the largest in existence; the Dante collection (7,500 volumes); the Petrarch collection (4,000 volumes); the Icelandic collection (10,000 volumes); and the Zarncke library of German literature and philology (13,000 volumes). Printed cata- logues of several of these collections have been issued by the library. The Library building has become in- adequate to present day needs, but when built was a very satisfactory one. Its beautiful tower is a prominent architectural feature of the campus. The University of Michigan library, Ann Arbor, (352,718 volumes) is soon to have a new building, a welcome relief from its long overcrowded one. The McMillan Shakespeare library (6,525 volumes); the Parsons library of political economy (6,076 volumes); and the Goethe library (1,131 volumes) are among its special collections. The Library Staff Manual, issued by Mr. Koch a few years ago, deserves men- tion. The University of Chicago library, Chicago, (458,616 volumes) though not an old one is nevertheless one of our large libraries, and is frequently used for inter- library loans, especially by institutions in the middle west. Its special collections include the Colwell library of Bibles (8,000 volumes), probably the best col- lection of translations known; the Howard collection on matrimonial institutions; and the Durrett library of western history. The Harper Memorial library building was dedicated in 1912 and will ultimately provide shelf room for a million volumes. The large reading room on the top floor will connect with reading rooms on the top floors of adjoining buildings devoted to special subjects. The principal stacks are in the basement. The library is being reclassified according to the Library of Congress classification; its current printed catalogue cards can be purchased by other libraries. From the beginning, the departmental libraries have been well developed. The University of Illinois library, Urbana, (326,893 volumes) occupies a beautiful but now inadequate building. Fifteen departmental libraries and reading rooms are maintained, eight of which have from ten to twenty thousand volumes each. The library is strong in the classics, in architecture, in municipal publications, in economic entomology, in finance, labor, and mathematics. A list of serials in the library was issued in 1911. The University of Wisconsin library, Madison, (235,400 volumes) and the State Historical Society library (185,000 vol- umes), occupy the same beautiful and well planned building and together form a notable collection. The Society’s resources in American and English history, especially Mississippi Valley history, give it acknowl- edged leadership in this field. The Uni- versity library includes the J. J. Hill Rail- road library (9,000 volumes) ; and a collec- tion of Norse Sagas and Norse literature, in part the gift of Ole Bull. The Society and the University together have secured the Schlueter collection of books on German socialism, said to be most complete. The University of Minnesota library, Minneapolis, (207,406 volumes) has among its collections one of 8,500 mono- graphs on anatomy; about 10,000 volumes on Scandinavian history and literature; and 2,000 monographs on ophthalmology. 3 0112 061918691 WISCONSIN LIBRARY BULLETIN The University of California library, Berkeley, (304,662 volumes) occupies the new building erected in 1911 and paid for by the bequest of Charles F. Doe. An addition to the building is being planned. The unique Bancroft collection (50,000 volumes) of manuscripts and books relat- ing to the Pacific Coast and southwestern history will alone give this library dis- tinction. Leland Stanford Junior University library, Stanford University, Cal., (263,657 volumes) occupies the Thomas W. Stanford library building. Among its May, 1916] special collections are the Hopkins railway library (10,000 volumes); the Hildebrand library (5,000 volumes) chiefly relating to the German language; and the Lane medical library (35,000 volumes), which occupies a separate building near the other medical buildings in San Francisco. Note: By a typographical error on page 58 of the February, 1916 Bulletin a cypher was dropped and the number of volumes was given as 200,00 instead of 200.000 while the circulation was given as 1.500.00 instead of 1,500,000.