“ There were at least two libraries in Cambridge University fitted with such desks—at the Colleges of Pembroke and Queens'; and that it was a common form abroad was proved by its appearance, towards the end of the 15th century, in a French translation of the first book of the "Consolations of Philosophy" of Boethius. The desk could not be dispensed with so long as books were chained, but one or more shelves were added to it. The system of chaining, as adopted in this country, would allow of the books being readily taken down from the shelves and laid on the desk for reading. ”

“ They, however, had a certain amount of protection which was denied to their readers, for they were shut up in presses. As time went on greater comfort was introduced The Durham Rites spoke only of book-presses standing in the cloister against the walls; but it was not unusual to have recesses in the wall itself, fitted with shelves, and probably closed by a door. The number of the books would naturally increase, and by the beginning of the 15th century the larger monasteries at least had accumulated many hundred volumes. ”

“ The invention of printing had largely increased the number of volumes, and at the same time diminished their value so that the chaining was no longer necessary. When it had been abandoned neither a desk or a seat in close proximity to the books was required. In consequence, though libraries continued to be built on the ancient type with numerous windows close to the floor, it was possible to alter the old cases or to make a new ones, with a far larger number of shelves than heretofore ”