Over
the principal entrance is a well executed head of Homer, and in the
entrance-hall which has a tesselated pavement, are four scagliola columns
with Corinthian capitals. The Museum-room is 54 feet in length and 26
feet wide, and the Library is 44 feet long and 33 feet wide. A broad and
handsome stone staircase conducts the visitor to the second floor, on
which is a lecture-room of the same dimensions as the Library, and two
apartments appropriated to the Literary Institution, which are
collectively of the same size as the Museum beneath. On the third floor
are two large rooms for the School of Art, with domed roofs and ample
skylights, and four smaller apartments for classes are also provided." A
reproduction of a recent photograph of the building, showing to the left
a portion of the Reading Room added in 1907, faces page 56.
The Library proper at first consisted of one room, as stated above, which
combined a news and reading room, and reference and lending departments.
Books were not issued from the lending department until January 1st,
1858, when the books in two classes, "General Literature" and "Voyages
and Travels" were ready for circulation.
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