Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - Research Paper Example

In the central tower, the library can hold up to 180,000 volumes of books and in the underground around 600,000 volumes make their collection about 1 million volumes and other manuscripts that may also total in millions (Parks).

The building consists of marble, granite, bronze and glasswork. Its structure was designed at 200’-0’’ and 350’-0’’ site plans. The building has a total square footage of 88,347. The building's roof serves as a landmark for visitors and people on the campus of Yale. It is a six-story tower, which is enclosed by a glass top, containing book stacks encircled by a windowless shell held by four piers at the curve of the building. The outer walls are made of Lucida marble panel, which protects direct sunlight from coming in, yet promoted subdued light entrance. The marble walls are thinly sliced which makes sunlight enter the library softly making the view beautiful and unique (“Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library”).

The dimensions have appropriate mathematical proportions, 1:2:3, which make the architectural design platonic. The building is commonly known as the “jewel box” because of its unique feature that there is a stark light emerging after the sunset. It is also known as the “laboratory of humanities.” The presence of Alexander Calder’s “Gallows and Lollipops” across the plaza serves as a delightful sight for the visitor (“Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library”).

Visitors enter the building using a revolving glass door, and there are two stairways to the mezzanine level that displays Beinecke’s collection. There is a public exhibition house, which displays 48 extant copies of the Gutenberg Bible. There are two basement doors, the first goes down to the “Court” level, at the heart in front of Beinecke's “The Garden" which features sculptures of Isamu Noguchi (Pyramid Sun and Cube). There is a reading room as well which can be utilized by researchers and administrative bodies. There are a movable aisle and shelves at two floors below the ground (“Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library”).

The building of Beinecke has inspired many artists and for its protection, there is a glass-walled structure that guards and displays the original collection of books by King George III. There are temperature and humidity control systems that ensure that the materials of the books are of the best quality for future research. The security at Beinecke Library has increased currently as antique dealer Edward Forbes was seen cutting maps. Thus, there are security alarms and checks for the safety of rare books and manuscripts (Parks).