The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. reported yesterday that a fire broke out in a costume storage area on the third floor above the Folger Theatre on Monday morning. The fire, which was discovered by an electrician at approximately 9:30 AM, was safely contained and extinguished. The library's rare books, including the world's largest Shakespeare collection, were not affected. Following standard conservation practice, however, the rare books on display in the library's current exhibition, "Technologies of Writing in the Age of Print," as well as the library's seventy-nine First Folios of Shakespeare's plays, were moved to storage. The library was closed to the public yesterday.
Located on Capitol Hill, the seventy-four-year-old Folger Shakespeare Library is a world-class research center on Shakespeare and on the early modern age in the West. The library is known for its array of scholarly and public programs, including plays, concerts, literary readings, and exhibitions. For more information, visit the library's Web site.
