Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

The Yale University Library of Rare Books and Manuscripts was a gift from the Beinecke family, whose members were graduates of the university. Since 1963, the library has borne the name of its donors and is the largest library in the world preserving rare books and manuscripts. Currently, the library contains about 500,000 volumes and several million manuscripts. The library is located at the center of the university on the baroque-style Hewitt Quadrangle, which later acquired the name Beinecke Plaza.
The architect of the library is Gordon Bunshaft from the S.O.M. office, which first ventured into the realm of cultural and educational buildings with the realization of this project. The construction was carried out by George A. Fuller Construction Company.
The six-story block has an entrance hall and a book storage area (capacity of 180,000 volumes) wrapped in a windowless facade and is elevated only on four legs. Light penetrates into the interior through thin sheets of white marble (approximately 3 centimeters thick), which serves both a protective UV function and a mystical architectural effect. The supporting structure of the building is made of reinforced concrete. The ribbing embossed on the facade evokes architectural motifs of neo-Gothic buildings on the university campus.
Three additional floors of storage (capacity of 600,000 volumes) are located beneath the flat square. In the sunk atrium of the square stand three sculptures by Isamu Noguchi - Time (pyramid), Sun (circle), and Hope (cube).
Part of the library includes an entrance hall, which features one of the 48 existing copies of the Gutenberg Bible, among other exhibits. From the hall, one can enter study rooms, reading rooms, catalogs, a microfilm reading room, staff offices, and book storage. Rooms that require natural light are oriented towards the sunk atrium in the square. This concept made it possible to create a library that is referred to as a "treasury of knowledge".