Architecture

Under Nicholas V the books were piled in no particular order in one or two rooms, and it was only in the pontificate of Sixtus IV (1471-1484) that the collection was organized into a proper library on monastic lines and the books were chained to the desks. The library was built next to the Sistine Chapel and was divided into four rooms, one of which was reserved for the most valuable manuscripts. It was a public library, open to laymen as well as the clergy. The intention, quite clearly, was that the library building should be monumental and practical at the same time, and accordingly the top experts in their respective fields were engaged to carry out the work. The interior was adorned with portraits of the ancients and other paintings of standard Renaissance subjects and the artists who worked on the frescos included Melozzo da Forlì, Antoniazzo Romano and Ghirlandaio. Sadly, all that remains of this lavish decorative scheme is a fresco that shows the Pope appointing Platina to the post of librarian.

Image courtest of Pinacotec Vaticana - III (paintings)

The Vatican Library owes its present form to Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590), who commissioned Domenico Fontana to design a library in keeping with the diginity of the Papacy and its now vast wealth. An imposing hall was erected overlooking the Cortile del Belvedere with frescoes on the walls and the cross-vaulted ceiling. These fine paintings by Cesare Nebbia, Giovanni Guerra and a team of assistances, depicting ancient libraries, ecumenical councils and portraits of imaginary persons convey an impression of the utmost grandeur. The enterance to the library led from the courtyard into the Latin room; this and the Green room together consistuted the public part of the library (Bibliotheca comunis or publica). Next to them were the Bibliotheca secreta, where vauable manuscripts were kept, and the Bibliotheca pontificia, which was used for the storage of the records. Image courtesy of NNDB-tracking the entire world-Pope Sixtus V

This information I found in the State Library of Victoria in one of the three books they have on the Vatican Library, the information was rich and varied, but I would have liked to know more and maybe for the library to have more books on the subject.

The Great Libraries: from Antiquity to Renaissance (3000 BC to AD 1600)/ Konstantinos Sp. Staikos, translated by Timothy Cullen. 2000