A library is a place for people to transform themselves and their community. It’s a place where an entrepreneur can take an idea from a dream to a business plan, where groups can meet, and where students can find a cozy spot to study. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a place where patrons can find help in making sense of the vast amount of information that’s available in our modern world. Once in a great while, a library itself is transformed. Renovating, expanding, or building a library is an exciting and vitally important task, but it can also be a daunting one. It doesn’t have to be: our team is here to help. We look forward to working with you to design a storage solution that supports your vision and fulfills your library’s mission.

LIBRARIES ARE EVOLVING.

As libraries change to meet the needs of their communities, staff face the challenge of finding space for modern uses while still accommodating ever-growing collections of books and other materials. We offer a variety of storage solutions to help libraries free up space for modern uses, including meeting rooms, computer workstations, cafes, and other spaces for patrons to learn and interact.

REPURPOSE TO REVIVE.

In providing space for collaborative areas, modern libraries are often faced with a challenge—how to make room for more of the services required by today’s patrons. Whether you’re building new or rethinking an existing space, our storage systems can help create new areas to serve your community’s changing needs.

AESTHETICS

End panels, lighting, and other custom solutions reinforce the themes of a building’s interior design, transforming shelving units into design elements.  Our storage systems can integrate beautifully with a building’s interior design.

COMPACT MOBILE  – CONSOLIDATION & ACCESSIBILITY

By eliminating fixed aisles and creating movable aisles, compact mobile storage systems increase storage capacity, improve efficiency, and consolidate collections. Existing library shelving units can be mounted on mobile carriage-and-rail systems to convert stationary storage into compact storage, saving money and space.

The need for collaborative workspaces has created demand for more open and flexible areas in libraries of all sizes.  For example, one library wanted to maintain the library’s traditional stacks, but they also wanted to embrace new ways for patrons to interact with the collection and use the library space—and they wanted to avoid new construction. They began planning a repurposing project by designating areas for quiet study and collaborative work areas, as well as rooms for academic services and tutoring. In order to maintain convenient access to the stacks, they consolidated the library’s book collection on a compact shelving system, which consists of traditional library shelving mounted on 22 carriages. The system allows the shelving units to move along rails installed in the floor, eliminating wasted aisle space and allowing staff and patrons use electronic control panels to easily open an aisle when and where it’s needed. Consolidating and compacting these materials freed up a variety of areas for collaborative work, including a makerspace and informal meeting areas. Large tables and whiteboards are now located throughout the library for students to use, allowing students to work on projects in a group setting, and a new curriculum resource center has given students a place to go for help with their work outside of the classroom.

CANTILEVER & OPTIONS – BETTER BROWSING

With hundreds of design and shelving arrangement options, heavy-duty construction, and the ability to expand and reconfigure storage, cantilever shelving offers flexibility for collection storage and display. You can choose from shelf options like browsing boxes, book supports, tiered media displays, and more, and switch out accessories as the library’s needs change. New or existing cantilever shelving can be mounted onto a compact mobile storage system to provide even more storage capacity and allow for future growth in your library.

RECONFIGURABLE DISPLAYS – FLEXIBILITY

Flexible features allow staff to create custom spaces on the fly. From A-frame shelving to wheeled carts and shelving units, we offer products to create configurable storage spaces that also serve as attractive displays. Casters installed on small shelving units in a children’s area would allow staff to reconfigure the space as needed for class sessions and other special events. Custom end panels integrate with the library’s interior design.

OFF-SITE SHELVING – ARCHIVAL

Off-site storage creates a way for libraries to compactly store seldom-accessed materials while still keeping those materials available to patrons. High-bay shelving systems, designed specifically for storage in climate-controlled warehouses, provide optimal space efficiency, accessibility, and protection for stored books and other items. As with our standard library shelving, the shelving heights in our high-bay shelving units can be adjusted based on book or box height, eliminating wasted space between the shelves and making full use of the facility’s vertical space.

CREATING A PARTNERSHIP.

It takes a team to successfully build, renovate, or expand a library. Because a well-designed storage system forms the core of an effective facility, we’ve found that storage is often one of the primary considerations as the planning process begins. We will work in partnership to create practical and aesthetically pleasing storage solutions for your library.

DESIGN ASSISTANCE

To ensure that your project is done right, we will be available to assist you at every step along the way, from discussing concepts in the pre-design phase all the way through to final design, installation, and maintenance. We will gain a thorough understanding of your library’s needs and serve as a liaison between end users and the architects, designers, and contractors working on your project. Our commitment to customer service ensures a truly integrated and effective storage solution.

PROJECT FUNDING

As you consider project funding, keep in mind that contracts offer a powerful purchasing option. Contracts are systems set up by state governments and other organizations to evaluate products and negotiate pricing with esteemed vendors—a process that in turn allows government, education, non-profit organizations, and other groups to save time and money when purchasing those vendors’ products. Libraries in the U.S. and Canada can purchase our products at a deep discount by using Sourcewell (formally known as NJPA), National IPA, and/or state contracts.

LET THE TRANSFORMATION BEGIN

The opportunity to renovate or expand a library is usually a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Make the most of it by assembling a team that understands and appreciates the specialized needs of library collections, the people who use them, and the people who preserve and protect them. We know that providing safe, accessible, and well-organized storage is at the core of any library’s mission, and we’re here to help. Our team of storage experts can assist you in creating a storage solution that fully integrates with your building’s unique characteristics to maximize space, protect materials, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve and expand the services your library provides. Take the first step toward transforming your library. Contact us today to arrange your free, no-obligation space consultation.

Contact us today for help with your Library needs.   We are here to help you.