Noticed something on 60 Minutes

Hap_Hazzard

One story showed the interior of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library of the Maryland Historical Society, and I couldn't help noticing the large three-column radiators at both ends of each of the tables.



<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdhistoricalsociety/6761516495/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdhistoricalsociety/6761516495/</a>



It seems a little unusual to have radiators out in the open like that. They also seem very large to heat the area where the tables are, and I'm wondering if they are heating the whole building.



Does anybody know anything about this building's heating system?

Steamhead

Looks like I'm gonna have to play tourist in my own city

I've never been in there, though I know where it is.......

Hap_Hazzard

Looks like a nice warm place to spend a few hours

on a winter day, especially if you're a history buff. There's lots of information online about what they have to offer. No details about the heating system though.

nicholas bonham-carter

Library radiators

There must be a skylight above those radiators.--NBC

Polycarp

Localized heating

Heating that whole space would be quite the undertaking.  My guess is that these radiators are just for localized heating of occupants.  They heat the readers at the table rather than going to the expense of trying to heat that whole large volume.  I imagine that there are then perimeter radiators to heat the smaller volumes created by the stacks.