By glassing in the arches, the former cloister of the Germanic Museum was converted into a library last summer. A door was cut through the wall into the former curators' room, which is now used as an ante-chamber, and the reading room itself has been furnished in keeping with its mediseval setting. Seated at one of the large refectory tables, a full view of the garden is provided through the large arch windows.
Oak book cases, built into the walls, contain some 2000 volumes dealing with Seandinavian, Flemish, Dutch, and German art, as well as many other volumes concerning culture of the Germanic countries. Among the treasures of the library is an illustrated first edition of Haus Sachs, entitled the "Wittenburg Nightingale." This is a Protestant poem which was published in 1523, written to be a veiled attack on Catholicism. There is also a volume of Albert Durer's writings which contains several of his famous wood-cuts.
The construction of the new library was directed by Charles L. Kuhn '28, Curator of the Museum, and Rogers B. Johnson '17, Superintendent of the Maintenance Department. Funds were taken from the money saved over a period of years from endowment interest.
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