The movement for the erection of a library building in St. Paul began in 1912 with an offer from Mr. James J. Hill to give a sum of $700,000 for the building and endowment of a reference library, and make it a part of the library building, if the city would proceed with the erection of the building. Funds for the purchase of a site were at once raised by popular subscription and bonds voted for the erection of the building. Mr. Electus D. Litchfield of New York was chosen architect, and Mr. Charles C. Soule of Brookline, Mass., as advisory library expert. In 1917 the building was completed at a total of more than a million dollars.
The building occupies the square between 3d and 4th streets, and between Market and Washington streets, overlooking the Mississippi river on the south, and facing Rice Park and the Post Office on the north. The building is designed in the general spirit of the Italian Renaissance, and is constructed of selected pink Tennessee marble, with an interior finish of Mankato stone, known as vesta gray. The wood- work is maple, so treated that the green gray stain penetrates through the wood. The floors of the three principal rooms are covered by cork tiles, fourteen cubic inches of cork being compressed into one cubic inch and filled with linseed oil, so as to give the tiles the wearing qualities of marble and at the same time make them waterproof.
The entrance lobby of the building is decorated by a sculptured frieze including panels containing sculptural figures representing the different kinds of literature, art, music, dancing, chemistry, and philosophy, together with groups representing instruction in the various arts and sciences, such as agriculture, metal working, etc. ; also the following inscriptions, — on the southeast wall — The Public library of the City of St. Paul founded as the St. Paul Mercantile Association, September 1 8, 1857; on the southwest wall — This site was purchased by public subscription. This building was erected by the City in the year 1916; on the northwest wall — Keep fast hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her for she is thy life. Prov. 4:13. Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding. Prov. 4:7. The elevator doors are richly decorated in Renaissance designs and contain monograms of the Library. At the right of the entrance is the Delivery room; at the left, the Periodical room. The ceilings of both of these rooms and of the Reference room and lobby on the floor above were decorated by Sherwin & Berwin of New York, and represent work of the 12th and 14th centuries.
The decoration of the ceiling of the Delivery room is for the most part of blue, gray and silver animated by medallions in full color depicting the Muses, Graces, Fates, and Furies, painted by Lee Woodward Zeigler, director of the St. Paul Institute school of art. The titles of these figures are as follows: On the small engaged beam over the entrance, on the side of the room next to the Delivery Desk; Dionysus, or Bacchus. On the nine beams, next to the delivery desk; THE MUSES: Clio, muse of History. Urania, muse of Astronomy. Melpomene, muse of Tragedy. Thalia, muse of Comedy. Terpsichore, muse of Choral Dancing. Calliope, muse of Epic Poetry. Erato, muse of Love Poetry. Euterpe, muse of Lyric Poetry. Polyhymnia, muse of Sacred Poetry On the side next to Fourth St., returning; THE FURIES: Megaira, typifying Envy. Alecto, typifying Remorse. Tisiphone, typifying Vengeance. THE FATES: Clotho, who Spins Lachesa, who Measures Atropos, who Cuts THE GRACES: Thalia, who presides over Singing. Euphrosyne, who presides over the Social Dance. Agalia, who presides over the Feast. And, on the engaged beam, over the door; Hermes, or Mercury. In the intermediate space between the medallions and the arabesques on the principal sections of the secondary or transverse beams are the monograms of masters of painting, together with the initials of the architect, the builders, and the decorators. (Sherwin & Berwin and Frank P. Fairbanks.)
The ceiling of the Periodical room is similarly decorated, in blue, grey, and gold. The transverse structural beams carry an interlacement very characteristic of the best work of the Renaissance, and well illustrated in the decoration of the library of the Duomo at Siena. This interlacing is interspersed with the initials of the library. The longitudinal beams are illuminated by a more animated detail consisting of arabesques and printers marks or initials.The bookshelves, tables, and chairs in this room are also notable examples of the best Renaissance style.
On the second floor, at the right, is the General reference room, named in memory of the Hon. Greenleaf Clark, one of the benefactors of the library. In the ceiling of this room the cartouche in the central panel bears the seal of the library, with the sword of St. Paul typifying the City, supported by books and torches. On the soffits of the structural beams are inscribed the names of the greatest minds of ancient Greece, Italy, Germany, Holland, France, and England as follows, from left to right: Homer, Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, Virgil, Socrates, Ficimes, Thucydides, Leibnitz, Fichte, Kant, Hegel, Wolff, Zeller, Spinoza, Jacob, Descartes, Geulinx, Malebranche, Regius, Arnauld, Voltaire, Comte, Hume, Bacon, Locke, Raey, Toland, Dante, Galileo, Da Vinci. The ornamented panels with their low relief and very joyous application of color emulate conspicuously the Italian spirit in the hand- ling of richly decorative details. At the left of the elevator are the special reference rooms devoted to civics, and related social sciences, industrial arts, and fine arts.
On the third floor, at the right is the accessions room, in which books are ordered, classified, and catalogued, while at the left are the Librarian’s office, the staff rooms, and, at the end of the corridor, the exhibition room. On the basement floor, at the right of the elevator, is the news- paper room, at the left, and at the end of the corridor, the children’s room; adjoining the latter, on the south side of the corridor, the teachers’ and parents’ room, and the office of the school department; and on the north side of the corridor, the library auditorium.
In the children’s room the decoration of the electroliers and of the chairs is especially to be noted. In the sub-basement is the ventilating machinery. This provides for a change of air in the building every six minutes, and not only purifies the air, but in the summer months, cools it. The east wing of the building is occupied by the Hill Reference library. The building for this was erected by Mr. J. J. Hill. The library is maintained by his heirs.
City of St. Paul Public Library Building
Published by the St. Paul Public Library, 1916