“The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library contains the principal rare books and literary manuscripts of Yale University. The library was a gift of three Yale graduates, the Beinecke Brothers. The modern library was designed by Gordon Bunshaft of the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. At 125,262 square feet, the Beinecke Library is the largest university rare book library in North America. The library attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually.”
The imposing high-rise tower of shelves can hold up to 180,000 volumes, with a further 600,000 volume capacity in underground stacks.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (building). Celsus: A Library Architecture Resource. 16/10/2012. From http://libraryarchitecture.wikispaces.com/Beinecke+Rare+Book+and+Manuscript+Library,+Yale+University,+New+Haven,+Connecticut+(building).
Visit http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/brblinfo/brblslides_tour.html for a virtual tour of the Library.
