CAMBRIDGE LIBRARY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19466, 13 November 1928, Page 12

CAMBRIDGE LIBRARY.

HELP PROM ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION. (fbok oto ows coebespohbbot.) LONDON, October .5. It has been estimated that the cost of building and maintaining, a new library at Cambridge would be £500,000, and it was decided last December to erect a substantial part of the new building. This has been the ambition of the Senate of' CambricTge University idr the last fifty years. Recently an offer has been received from -the International Board of the Rockefeller Foundation, wHich includes a contributor *^. tn « library of not less than ±..450,000. a sum which" would enable them to undertake the building-of the complete library without delay. The offer in its entirety has yet to be laid before 'the University. It amounts to a gift of £700,000, but a condition was attached that the Uni«<^t£Jjhould raise the balance of £229,000 for the fulfilment of the whole. scheme. If the University is able to accept this splendid offer of assistance a magnificent opportunity ot advancing, its physical and biological sciences will be put into their hands. _ lne earlier-decision to build part of the new' library was made possible by a bequest of £65,000 from the late Kev. j, H. Ellis, and by the provision of £25,000 from the funds of the local examination syndicate. : Twenty Miles of Books. The new library ,isio be built on 7£ acres of the former playing fields of King s and Clare Colleges and near The Backs. Already over a million volumes are' housed. They occupy 20 miles of shelving but it must be remembered that under the Copyright Act one copy of every book published must be supplied on demand to Cambridge University Library (and three others). Nearly 1500 feet of additional space are required yearly. One. of the great; libraries of the wor, d, it holds many priceless treasures m the form of rare printed books and manuscripts. Two years ago the library was full and proposals for extending the present building were found to be impracticable. •