University of Virginia Library

XVIII. Library

In a report drafted by the Faculty in 1866, we find it
stated that, during the previous six years, no book of
any importance had been acquired for the library. It
was estimated that, to bring it up to the point of even
moderate usefulness, not less than two thousand dollars
would have to be spent in the purchase of modern works
at once; and an allotment of that sum would have to be
annually made to assure the addition to it, from time to
time, of the principal current publications. The library
now contained thirty-five thousand volumes. The actual
amount assigned to it for its extension seems, in the
first years of reconstruction, to have consisted of very
modest special appropriations. In 1867, the sum so laid
out did not exceed one thousand dollars. Among the valuable
books added to the collection, at this time, were
Boydell's edition of Shakespere, Schoolcraft's History
of the Indian Tribes, and McKinney and Hale's History
of the Indian Tribes of North America. In the
course of 1884, the five thousand volumes which formed
a part of the bequest of A. W. Austin were deposited on
the shelves of the alcoves for use.

Between the years 1872 and 1887, the walls of the library-room
were adorned with several new pictures of
personal interest, if not artistic merit, which had been
presented either by the students, or by friends of the
institution. Among the former were portraits of General
Lee, Professor Southall, and Professor Mallet;
among the latter, one of William B. Rogers,—the gift of
Professor Venable,—of Alexander H. H. Stuart, and
of Thomas Jefferson,—the gift of William D. Cabell, of
Norwood, Virginia. An addition of unusual value, in
1873, was the thirty-five volumes of the London Philosophical

Transactions, the gift of J. R. McD. Irby, an
alumnus of distinction; and in the course of the same
year, the British Government presented several hundred
volumes of the bulletins of the Record Office. A
stimulating example was set at this time by the students
enrolled in the School of Moral Philosophy in subscribing
one hundred dollars for the purchase of books relating
to the themes covered by the lectures delivered upon
that course. A more notable contribution still was the
one thousand dollars which, during a period of five years,
was to be annually appropriated by the Corcoran fund for
the increase of the size of the collection.

In the autumn of 1876, a very important step in the
interest of the library was taken by the Faculty in its
appointment of a committee with instructions to report
such a list of works for purchase as would embrace all
the subjects belonging to those new fields of research which
had been explored since the beginning of the War of
Secession,—a period that had found the University too
impoverished to enlarge its collection of expensive books.
There had been many discoveries in science and archaeology
during these pregnant years, but there were no volumes
in the library to indicate their character or scope.
Besides, there were few works stored away on its shelves
which contained the histories of the great military campaigns
that had occurred since 1848; and there was also
a grave shortcoming in the number of the editions of the
most famous English authors. The library,—this committee
stated in their report,—was in need of many sets
of the English classics. Not a few illustrious writers
in the English language were represented by a single volume
alone. All these deficiencies, they urged, should be
removed by regular appropriations for that purpose.

But little was accomplished at the time by this recommendation.

What appropriations continued to be made
were eaten up by the purchase of current periodicals. In
the point of books relating to the advancing sciences, the
library remained still incomplete.

During the session of 1880–81, its income amounted to
eleven hundred and thirty-nine dollars, the largest part of
which was obtained from the Corcoran special fund,
which was exhausted during the ensuing year. The collection
of books had now swelled to the number of
forty thousand volumes. There were, at this time, small
occasional gifts for some purpose carefully defined by
the donor,—thus, in 1882, W. M. Meigs, of Philadelphia,
gave the sum of one hundred dollars to be expended
in the acquisition of works relating to American
history. In the course of the following year, a bequest
of five thousand dollars was received from the estate of
Douglas H. Gordon; but only the interest, as it accrued,
was to be used. In 1885, the income of the library from
every source amounted to eleven hundred and thirty-one
dollars. During this year, the collection was enlarged by
the contents of twenty-six stout boxes of books,—there
were five thousand volumes in all,—which formed a part
of the Austin legacy. It was however, acknowledged by
the Faculty at this time, in spite of this gift, that the
library was again far from keeping abreast of the publications
which were issued in numerous departments of
paramount importance to the professors and students
alike. By 1886–87, the income had fallen to five hundred
dollars; and during several years, the shrinkage in
the resources of the institution, brought about principally
by the financial stringency in the country as a whole, had
been so acute that this small amount was the entire sum
that could be appropriated.

The number of volumes had grown by 1894 to fifty-seven

thousand; and the shelves were now so jammed
that the usefulness of the books was seriously curtailed.
The Faculty were solicitous that a special fund for the
removal of this drawback, as well as for the purchase of
additional works, should be created out of the Fayerweather
bequest. At the thoughtful suggestion of Professor
Thomas R. Price, now associated with Columbia
University, the rare Hertz collection was bought by the
alumni and presented to the University of Virginia. It
was singularly rich in every department of ancient culture.
This collection contained about twelve thousand
volumes and pamphlets, and its cost ranged between three
and four thousand dollars.

No book, at this time, was shut out of the library on
the ground that it was frivolous in spirit, or even immoral
in tendency, provided that there were special reasons for
its inclusion in the collection. Such a book, however,
could only be given out with the written permission of
the chairman of the committee.

In the first session after the close of the war, the
library was not thrown open to readers during the whole
of the day, but only during two hours in the afternoon.
In the course of the second session, the time was extended
to two hours in the forenoon in addition to the
two after twelve o'clock. Gradually, these hours were
augmented until the doors were kept unlocked throughout
the entire working day,—an average of at least ten in
all. The usefulness of the collection was enlarged by
permitting persons not connected with any department of
the University to have access to it. For this privilege,
a fee of three dollars had to be paid; this was afterwards
increased to five; and fifteen dollars also had to be deposited
to make good either damage inflicted in handling the
volumes, or their possible loss.

In 1881, the venerable William Wertenbaker, after a
life time given up, with conspicuous fidelity, integrity, and
efficiency, to the duties of his several offices, was retired
as librarian emeritus, with his salary undiminished. He
was the last man to be seen on the grounds of the University
who was personally associated with Jefferson; and
even in his old age, he retained all the precise habits
which had marked the social and vocational side alike of
that earlier and more formal age. "He always walked
with a cane, his body leaning slightly forward," says Dr.
Culbreth, who knew him in these declining years. "His
manners were reserved and positive. He was never familiar
or obstrusive; was friendly but strikingly businesslike.
He never seemed idle, and could be found mostly
sitting at his table engaged in writing, which he did
slowly in a cramped, nervous style. He had a remarkable
memory in some directions, especially for the location
of books, seldom having to look in a second place for any
given one. When you asked him for a book, pamphlet,
or manuscript, he referred to nothing, but simply told
you at once whether it was in the library; if out, who had
it; if in, and you desired it, unlocked the case and produced
it. He was very conscientious in the discharge of
duty. He appreciated his position, considered it highly
honorable, and was jealous of its rights and powers.
While the students never placed him on the same level
with the professors, yet they appeared to look upon him
as a kind of paternal spirit deserving all honor and kindness.
I am confident that he never received from us discourteous
treatment; and if that had been attempted, he
would have been quite capable of taking care of himself,
with forceful and contemptuous language. He loved to
talk of Jefferson, Dabney Carr, Madison, Monroe, and
Poe."

During the session of 1876–7, Frederick W. Page,—
who was a member of the distinguished family of that
name in Virginia, and who, in his refined nature and
courtly manners, faithfully reflected the spirit of a more
polished and genial age than our own,—was appointed
to the office of assistant librarian, and in 1881, librarian,
when the health of Mr. Wertenbaker was perceived to be
beyond all hope of restoration. Page also assumed the
duties of secretary of the Faculty. In both capacities, he
exhibited the strictest regard for the most precise business
methods, and yet was unfailing in the qualities of politeness
and helpfulness. In 1882, he was abruptly and
brusquely displaced by the Board of Readjusters, who
came in after the triumph of that political party in the
State elections. With this party, Page had declined to
affiliate. He was succeeded by William A. Winston.
Winston's salary was soon advanced to one thousand dollars;
but a part of this was his remuneration for the performance
of the duties of secretary to the Faculty. In
1886, the Readjuster organization having gone to wreck
on the political rocks, James B. Baker succeeded Winston;
who, in turn, was, in July, 1891, followed by Page
again. Baker, however, remained the secretary of the
Faculty and the clerk of the chairman.