University Archives, Collection C: 1/83/15
The second floor reading room almost matches the size and grandeur of the General Reading Room. The height of the windows approximately the same. The main difference between the two rooms is the ceiling, which is vaulted in the General Reading Room, but flat in Room 202. The decoration on the ceiling of the General Reading Room is also more detailed and elaborate that the ceiling in Room 202, although Room 202 does use the wave motif.
Windows line the west side of the room and provide natural. The north and south wall also have one window. At one time there were also two sets of tall windows on the east side of the room between the hallway and the entrance to the West Stacks, but they were bricked up when the East Addition was erected.
At the top, on the left side you can see a circulation or deliver desk where books could be requested. Left of the desk are three doors to the 2 West Stacks. The north doors still opens to the stacks, the middle door has been walled off, and the south door has been locked for years.
The north end of room is at the bottom of the plan. The niche to the left is where the door to the General Reading Room is located. At some point at least one and possibly two other doorways were made making it easier to pass back and forth between the rooms, but, I think, diminishing the beauty of the General Reading Room. Other people must have thought the same, because later the openings were closed again.
The architect also designed the attractive long tables for the room which are still used by Mizzou students today.
University Archives, Collection C: 1/83/15
These are the architect's designs for the long tables in 2nd floor reading room.
University Archives, Collection C:20/8/6
This is a view of the newly erected West Wing. The 2nd floor Reading Room with its tall windows runs the length of the building. What you cannot see, and what were walled up when the East Addition was erected in 1958, are the windows on the east side. You can see them in the picture below.
University Archives, Collection C: 1/40/1 )(enlarged, box added to aid in identification)
In this aerial view you can see the 2nd and 4th floor windows of the West Wing. They are similar to the windows on the west side. When the East Addition was erected, the area between the West Wing and the old cross hall was turned into mechanical rooms and the windows blocked off. Below are pictures of the walled off windows.
This view was taken from the 2nd floor mechanical room where the "light well" used to be. This is the bottom of the 2nd floor window. It ran from the 2nd floor to the 3rd.
This photograph was taken from the mechanical room on the 3rd floor. This is the top of the walled off window from the West Wing.
The ventilation grates are probably where the windows used to be. The ceiling abutting the wall would have been higher at the time. The ceiling was lowered to accommodate ventilation conducts when air conditioning was installed. The ceilings were lowered in the Delivery Room for the same reason.
