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By ASRS Elecompack
 
The buzzword among college and university librarians these days is COLLABORATION. By some estimates as many as 70% of academic libraries are pressed for more group study space. This case study illustrates how you can maximize the existing space in your library-and avoid the time, cost, disruption, and uncertainty-of library construction or expansion with the use of compact shelving systems. Compact, also identified as high-density mobile storage systems in this paper, initially were developed by ASRS Elecompack to withstand the tremendous seismic requirements of Japan and the rest of the Pacific Rim. Since then, the unique Elecompack design has helped clients around the world to maximize their return on investment.

Elecompack accomplishes this by building solutions that can double, and even triple, a library's storage capacity, without increasing square footage requirements. Likewise, the company's products provide efficient storage that allows libraries to make additional space available for other uses.

Maximizing Space Capacity
Since its introduction, the Elecompack high-density "mobile shelving concept" has provided a cost effective way for users to maximize capacity, while minimizing space requirements. Since access is rarely required to all materials simultaneously, shelving units are compacted together, reducing wasted space. Instead of aisles between every shelving unit, aisles are created when and where they are needed within the system. Using this simple concept, floor requirements can be reduced by as much as 70%.

Case Study: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Like many major research libraries throughout the country, Princeton University Library has space problems. Their collection approaches 5 million volumes and expands at a rate of approximately 100,000 volumes each year. Princeton required additional storage space to accommodate this rapid and continuous growth. The choices were to build new facilities or to install high density shelving. Princeton chose to replace conventional shelving in its Forrestal Annex Library on the James Forrestal campus with Elecompack high-density compact shelving. The Elecompack installation increased the capacity of the Forrestal Annex Library from 275,000 volumes to approximately 700,000, while reducing the square footage of required floor space.

The system consists of 120 mechanical ranges plus perimeter wall shelving. The installation is both unique and impressive primarily because of its extraordinary length and height. The ranges are 39 feet long (13 sections) and over 10 feet high. The number of shelves in each section varies from seven to ten. A fully loaded range holds a total weight of about 25,000 pounds. Incredible as it might sound, staff members routinely move three ranges simultaneously with minimal effort. (That's 37 tons!) Both the Princeton librarians and the architects were surprised at the ease of movement, which is easier than other installations on campus despite holding about twice the weight.

The University, in conjunction with the architectural firm of Kehrt Shatken Sharon, evaluated the compact shelving market rather extensively before deciding to purchase Elecompack. The primary reason Princeton selected Elecompack was its overall structural integrity and safety. These features were especially important to the Princeton librarians given the exceptional length and height of the proposed installation. Princeton librarians visited several Elecompack installations in New York and were very impressed with the product, particularly the safety features. Additionally, they spoke with other libraries using the Elecompack product; all gave very favorable endorsements, including two whose installations are at least as tall as those in the Princeton plan. Frequently the single safety feature mentioned in the literature is an aisle-locking device that prevents the shelving from moving when someone is in the aisle. While this feature is important, of equal importance is the stability of the structure.

Although now made in Pound, Wisconsin, the Elecompack product was designed in 1965 and built in Japan with special emphasis on prevention of tipping during earthquakes. The system utilizes a unique four-post reverse cantilever shelving. The upright recesses 43/4 inches into the carriage. While most of the world does not need to guard against earthquakes, it is prudent to assure a safe and stable joining of shelving and carriage, as the Elecompack product does. An overhead anti-tip system is also part of the installation. This feature eliminates any possibility of tipping due to an extreme loading imbalance or abuse by users of the equipment. Anti-tip rails and aisle safety locks were also installed at Princeton. The Elecompack system at Forrestal is the sixth installation of compact shelving on the Princeton campus, and it is by far the largest and most impressive. It looks good, it is easy to move, and the Princeton librarians are very pleased with the performance of ASRS and the Elecompack system.

Examples of Space Savings to be Realized with Compact Shelving
Both rooms in this example have 5,449 square feet.

Room A has 512 faces of shelving and wastes 3,248 square feet of floor space on empty aisles. Room B has 612 faces of shelving, 135 square feet of collaboration/group study rooms, and seats 84 students with no wasted floor space. (Images courtesy of J.P. Jay Associates Inc., Allentown, PA).

To learn more about Elecompack, obtain the name of your local dealer, or receive a product brochure, please use the following contact information.

ASRS of America
225 W 34th St
New York, NY 10122
212-760-1607
Fax 212-714-2084
bob@mbsi-ny.com
http://www.elecompack.com/

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