WIDENER LIBRARY GETS ADDITION TO WOODBERRY ROOM

A new poetry room, now being constructed adjacent to the Woodberry Room on the top floor of the Widener Library, will be opened soon after the first of the year to supplement the original poetry center, Keyes De W. Metcalf, director of the University Library, announced yesterday.

Under the direction of William A. Jackson, associate professor of Bibliography and assistant librarian of the Treasury Room, who has been in charge of the poetry center, extensive renovation of the new room is now in effect. Patterned on the style of the Woodberry Room, the supplementary poetry library will boast an improvement in the possession of built-in book shelves.

Flagler Endowed Room

Henry H. Flagler of New York, noted music patron, endowed the original poetry room in 1931, to the memory of George E. Woodberry '77. Author of numerous works on poetry and professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University, Woodberry associated with Flagler while the later was an undergraduate at Columbia.

The understanding attendant of Flagler's $50,000 endowment of the Woodberry Room, provided for the addition of the adjoining chamber, at such a time as it should be vacated. When John D. Black, professor of Economics, moved his offices to the newly completed Littauer Center last June, Library officials got in touch with Flagler, who suggested the alteration of the new room at his own expense.

Completion Date Indefinite

Metcalf was not prepared to estimate a probable date for the completion of the project; various complexities and problems in the progress of operations make this, he said, very "indefinite."

Cabinet work will be a feature of the added room, the walls of which are being renovated to allow for the cutting of windows.

Flagler's mother was a member of the Harkness family which has lent financial aid for the construction of the buildings in Harvard's House system.

Included in the Woodberry Room poetry collection is the gift of Amy Lowell, renowned poet-sister of ex-President Lowell, which contains the original manuscript of Keat's "Life of Saint Agnes" as well as many other valuable works.

Interest Revived

There has been a revival of interest in the poetry room in the past year which, according to Director Metcalf, may be attributed to the acquisition of numerous recordings of poetic works by their authors or by prominent dramatic figures.