Loss of Space and Relocation of Library Collections

Abstract

Space is at a premium on many college and university campuses. Libraries are often asked to vacate space for offices, labs, and learning commons. When the loss is shelving space, libraries face the dilemma of what to do with those displaced materials. This paper looks at the loss of approximately 7,000 linear feet of shelving space in an academic law library and the successful in-library relocation project necessitated by that loss. Planning is key to any project, especially one involving approximately 80,000 volumes. The author discusses the planning that went into the project and the outcome. Planning included determining the size of the collections, mapping the relocation of materials, and identifying challenges. Readers will learn about a simple yet fairly accurate method for measuring library collections. The reasoning behind mapping the relocation of materials to specific areas is discussed. Challenges, such as allocating growth space, safety concerns, and lack of elevator access, are also covered.