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Structural History Compiled and Appended by Robert E. Hafeman Architecturally, the Stinson Library, as was mentioned earlier, was made from limestone. This was quarried on the farm of Dr. Rich near Jonesboro, 1-1/2 miles to the west and home of the County Seat. Jesse Parker was the stone cutter, and the limestone was transported to the construction sight on sledges pulled by oxen (Notes 1978). The exterior parts of the library which are not limestone are reinforced concrete, with the entry steps being faced with Tennessee marble. Inside, the scheme uses heavy fumed oak beams as room dividers, and the rough plaster walls that were originally painted olive and yellow greens are now painted a light shade of yellow. The original floor covering was cork, and the band of stained glass which encompasses the building almost entirely, adds color to the natural light. Indirect electric lighting fixtures, sunk into the oak beams, were the majority of interior illumination sources with at least two ceiling fixtures, located near the front entrance, designed in stained glass by Griffin. The style of the stained glass anticipates the later style of Mondrian, with parallel and perpendicular rectangles and boxes combined to add interior color, without sacrificing theme. There have been few alterations to the building, but those that have occurred, have had an impact. The indirect lighting was insufficient and was replaced by fluorescent lighting. An ornate wrought iron balustrade has been added by the steps on the exterior. Air conditioning was added in 1968, and the ducts were placed atop the oak beams. This has effectively blocked the light from the clerestory windows, which were intended to provide natural illumination from room to room. The air conditioning keeps the library cool, but the ducts give the library an unfortunate cave-like effect. The cork flooring has been replaced by cushioned vinyl. The auditorium was carpeted for the first time in 1988. A new circulation desk was added in 1990. The main entry leads to either a lower auditorium or upstairs to the library proper. The original circulation desk is directly in front of the upstairs entry, and gives an adequate view of the four reading rooms. The new circulation desk is in front of the back wall of windows in the main room. In the front are the adult and children's reading rooms, each being 24 feet square. The reference room and magazine room are in the rear, each measuring 16 feet square. The auditorium measures 28 by 40 feet and is located on the lower level and meant for community use. It has a capacity of 75-100 people. The library purportedly houses 25,000 books. The library, at present, has numerous uncataloged selections that are generally relegated to the early twentieth century. |
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