Spacesaver Creates a Showplace at the University of Oregon 

Browse some of our athletic installs for inspiration and ideas of innovative storage solutions.

Athletics Spacesaver Case Studies

Athletics

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Agriculture Spacesaver Case Studies

Agriculture

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Business Spacesaver Case Studies

Business

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Education Spacesaver Case Studies

Education

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Healthcare Spacesaver Case Studies

Healthcare

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Manufacturing Spacesaver Case Studies

Manufacturing

Browse some of our military installs for inspiration and ideas of innovative storage solutions.

Military Spacesaver Case Studies

Military

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Public Safety Spacesaver Case Studies

Public Safety

Browse some of our library installs for inspiration and ideas of innovative storage solutions.

Library Spacesaver Case Studies

Library

Browse some of our museum installs for inspiration and ideas of innovative storage solutions.

Museum Spacesaver Case Studies

Museum

Spacesaver’s versatile 4-Post shelving delivers dependable, organized solutions for storing, servicing, and distributing laptops used by schools throughout the county.

Spacesaver’s versatile solutions deliver exponential opportunities.

Outfitting Students For Advanced Learning

<h2>Preserving Academics During A Pandemic (And Beyond)</h2>
<p>Technology has afforded schools with the opportunity to expand teaching well beyond the bounds of their physical spaces. Expanded access to laptops and other digital learning resources can now ensure that students of all demographic backgrounds can receive the same level of education as their classmates – no matter where they choose to receive that information.</p>  
<p>School administrators within Wake County – the most populated county in North Carolina – knew they needed to devise a plan to better integrate remote learning into their curriculum. Housing nearly 200 schools comprised of approximately 20,000 employees, 11,000 teachers, and 160,000 students, they also knew this was going to be no small feat. So, they devised a plan to strategically procure and integrate enough laptops to support their student body over a five-year period…and then the COVID pandemic surfaced and forced that ramp up period to shorten up significantly.</p>

Discover how Spacesaver’s shelving solutions can create the right storage mix for your needs.

Shelving Collection

<p>Nearing the inevitable point of students and staff no longer being allowed within the premises, administrators began searching for support in creating additional capacity and increased efficiency in an off-site warehouse facility that was targeted to facilitate receipt, programming, and distribution of student laptops. This is where their <a href="/partners" aria-label="spacesaver network and partnerships">local Spacesaver representative</a> was called upon to provide an upgrade to the county’s operating system for storage.</p>

<h3>Measuring The Mainframe</h3>
<p>With pallets of laptops and accessories on their way, our representative’s main focus was to design a solution that would maximize storage capacity and accessibility for its users. Taking into consideration the warehouse’s layout and the county’s need for dynamic workspace for technical and logistical purposes, they decided that utilizing <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving" aria-label="4 post shelving product details">4-Post Shelving</a> would be ideal due to its ability to be reconfigured and relocate should needs change in the future.</p>
<p>The <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving/#accessories" aria-label="4 post shelving acessory details">4-Post Shelving, which when paired with bin dividers</a>, helps to create custom storage space for individual laptops and accessories to be housed when they got broken out of the pallets or as they were received as returns from schools.</p>

See how this high-quality, durable storage solution can deliver a versatile option for your space.

4-Post Shelving Solutions

<h3>A More Functional Storage Framework</h3>
<p>With these flexible storage solutions in place, administrators are able to better control the flow of equipment in and out of the facility. There are dedicated sections for classifying what stage in the channel – new, for repair, for distribution – each laptop falls under, allowing quick and easy access for workers to get these valuable resources to their users.</p>
<p>Going from what was a mix of laptops and accessories comingled in one location to a neatly organized collection of materials, <a href="/products/shelving" aria-label="spacesaver metal shelving details">Spacesaver’s high-quality, long-lasting, and secure shelving units</a> brought a much-needed sense of control to an uncertain time. And now, even after students returned to on-site learning, the warehouse has continued to provide value for the county and will continue to do so for future staff and students.</p>

school multi-purpose shelving configuration spacesaver project

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Go behind the scenes at the high school that is just over the river from our manufacturing plant for some high school storage ideas that you could use too

Read how Fort Atkinson High School reached out to Spacesaver to find a way to optimize their space, creating an environment beneficial to student success.

Supporting Education and Community at Fort Atkinson High School

CEO/President of Spacesaver

<h2>Maximizing Space in a 1998 High School Design</h2>
<p>In 1998, Fort Atkinson High School was designed with a focus on efficient storage and maximizing project funding.  The goal was to provide storage which also created an environment where students could freely express themselves. Spacesaver's local expertise and versatile <a href="/education/k-12" aria-label="k12 storage solutions">K-12 storage solutions</a> played a pivotal role in turning this vision into reality.</p>

<h3>Optimizing Education</h3>
<h6 style="margin-bottom:0;">A Closer Look at Fort Atkinson High School</h6>





<h2>Innovations Across Departments</h2>
 <p>From the Integrated Media Center (IMC) to the Science Department, English Department, and beyond, Spacesaver's solutions were seamlessly incorporated throughout the school. In the IMC, <a href="/products/shelving/cantilever-shelving" aria-label="cantilever shelving product details">Cantilever Library Shelving</a> revolutionized material storage, creating a functional yet aesthetically pleasing space. The Science Department benefited from adaptable <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high-density mobile system product details">Powered High-Density Mobile Systems</a>, while the English Department found flexibility with Mechanical Assist High-Density Mobile Storage Systems.</p>

 <h2>Artful Storage and Surprising Discoveries</h2>
<p>In the Art Room, Spacesaver's <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high-density mobile system product details">Powered High-Density Mobile System</a> empowered students to engage actively with their artistic endeavors. The system's space-saving ability streamlined storage and led to amusing discoveries of what the Spacesaver storage systems can truly hold, adding an element of fun to the artful storage process.</p>

English Teacher

<h3 style="text-align:center;">Spacesaver's Game-Changing Athletic Lockers</h3>
<p style="text-align:center;">The boys’ varsity locker room underwent a significant transformation with <a href="/products/lockers/personal-storage-locker" aria-label="personal storage locker product details">Spacesaver's athletic equipment lockers</a>. Addressing concerns of durability and security, these lockers not only protected athletic gear but fostered a culture of pride among athletes.</p>

<h3 style="text-align:center; margin-bottom:0;">Smart Storage for Diverse Departments</h3>


<h2>Shaping the Future of Fort Atkinson High School</h2>
<p>Spacesaver's contribution goes beyond storage solutions; it's about empowering students, preserving resources, and fostering community pride. The positive impact is evident in organized classrooms, a sense of ownership, and an enriched learning atmosphere. Spacesaver's dedication ensures a brighter and more organized future for generations of students at Fort Atkinson High School.</p>

fort atkinson high school exterior of building

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After decades of reliable operation, the Spacesaver electronics at this university needed an update. See the full process.

After 25 years of reliable operation, the Spacesaver electronics at this prestigious university needed an update. Spacesaver made it easy to refresh the libraries’ investment in powered mobile shelving while also saving time and money.

Convenience & Reliability

<h2>Helping Students, Faculty, &amp; Staff Access Materials Quickly & Easily</h2>
<p>This prestigious university is known for making the educational experience as positive as possible for students. One important aspect of that commitment is providing prompt access to printed materials throughout its library system. </p>



<h2>Updating Legacy Spacesaver Electronics to Modern Standards</h2>
<p>The university opted to update the systems with Spacesaver’s Eclipse electronic system with Touch Technology™ Control. That’s because they knew the investment would significantly <b>extend the life of the university’s Spacesaver system at a fraction of the cost</b> of purchasing a new system, and the <b>streamlined conversion process would minimize downtime and disruption</b>.</p>
<p>Over the course of a few weeks, the main library’s aging electronics were updated to a new, state-of-the-art system. The process was simple. Staff didn’t need to hire a moving company or box and remove all the books on the shelves. Only the books behind the electronic panels needed to be removed, and every day the technicians told the librarians which panels would need to be exposed for the next day’s work. Then the librarians boxed the books and set them nearby, and the technicians replaced the electronic components.</p>

<h2>An Intuitive Interface</h2>
<p>The new system features a control interface that’s more intuitive for students who are familiar with LCD touchscreen “swipe” technology, and the controls have been shown to dramatically reduce the time that staff need to spend explaining how to use the system. The system also allows users to open and close aisles via an <a href="/blog/bluetooth-control-high-density-storage" aria-label="mobile device controlled shelving sytem details">app on their mobile devices</a>.</p>


<h2>Repeat Performance</h2>
<p>Three years after updating the main library’s systems, Spacesaver technicians returned to campus to update the electronics in the law school library. Conversion processes in both libraries were scheduled for the summer months, when most classes were not in session, and the conversions went smoothly and were finished on time. The local Spacesaver representative visited the site after installation was complete to review the warranty and train the client on the new systems’ operation.</p>
<p>The new electronics refreshed the libraries’ investment in powered mobile shelving while also saving money and conserving resources.</p>


<p>Universities are like small cities, with a variety of facilities from libraries and sports arenas to police departments and hospitals. That’s why campus space management is so important, download our guide for more information and ideas.</p>

Canvass the Campus

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Convenience & Reliability, Updating Spacesaver Electronics

Texas State University’s new off-site high-bay facility transformed its main library and special collections storage.

Spacesaver helps a growing university transform its main library and special collections storage

Preserving the Past and Preparing for the Future

<h2>Growing Enrollment, Growing Collections</h2>
<p>Texas State University has been growing rapidly over the past decade. “Roughly five years ago, space was becoming an issue,” said Joan Heath, Associate Vice President and University Librarian. “That was not only because we needed to support more students and faculty on campus, but also because our collections were growing.”</p>
<p>In addition to space pressures from enrollment growth and special collections storage, the library system’s leadership recognized that students and faculty expect libraries to provide modern amenities. “Aside from more space, we knew we needed to have new kinds of spaces in the library, whether it was for group work, collaborative work, or new technology spaces.”</p>

Associate Vice President and University Librarian.

<p>Get the complete case study here: Learn how Texas State University created optimal preservation environments for special collections storage while also freeing up space on campus for innovative library spaces.</p>

Download Our Case Study About Texas State University

<h2>A Phased Approach</h2>
<p>The university partnered with Perry Dean Moore Architects out of Boston to develop a feasibility study, which was a conceptual plan and a cost estimate for a phased approach to achieving the library’s goals.</p>
<p>A key component to the entire project was the Archives and Research Center, a new off-site facility just a few miles from campus. “An important step in the overall renovation plan was to build the Archives and Research Center fairly early in the process,” Heath said. “Rather than adding a floor or extending out the Alkek Library or expanding in some other way, the decision was made to build the facility and move a significant part of the collections.”</p>
<p>The planning and design team visited similar facilities at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M, and Spacesaver was selected as the shelving and storage supplier.</p>


<h2>Establishing Three Environments</h2>
<p>Because the off-site collections preservation facility houses different kinds of materials, the facility was designed to maintain separate preservation environments in addition to comfortable workspaces for staff. Download the full case study to get the details.</p>



<h2>Another Library</h2>
<p>The facility opened in late 2017 and offers a variety of services. Patrons on campus can request scans or volumes, and staff make daily deliveries to campus. Patrons can also visit the facility to do research and view or collect checked out items from any University Libraries facility.</p>

“Our attitude is that this is another library for the university…We don’t view this as just a storage space. The intention is for people to feel that they can choose to come out here and do their work.”

<h2>Let’s Get Started on Your Project</h2>
<p>Spacesaver’s project managers can help with all aspects of planning and implementing an off-site collections storage facility, including integrating special collections storage products like <a href="/products/art-racks">art racks</a>, <a href="/products/museum-cabinets/archival-flat-file" aria-label="flat file cabinet product details">flat file cabinets</a>, and perforated shelving with high-bay shelving. </p>
<p>Our in-house engineering and project management teams work with your local distributor to offer years of experience and unparalleled expertise in off-site collections storage facility design. We look forward to meeting you and working with you on your project.</p>


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Special Collections Storage in a High-bay Facility

 Spacesaver helped the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security build a library in leased space.

Building a Library in Leased Space

<p>The Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security, established in 2014 and located in Washington D.C., prepares its students for careers in national security and with the intelligence community. Although high-tech gadgets may come to mind when thinking about such careers, one of the institution’s first priorities was establishing an on-site library filled with hard-copy books and journals. The niche&nbsp;collection includes a variety of materials in the fields of intelligence, recent military history, espionage, and covert operations.</p>
<p>“When I promote the library during orientations, I actually promote the books first, ” said Library Director Hannah Walters. “For instance, in the back of many of these books, there are concentrated bibliographies that are great starting points for further research, and I explain that trying to use Google to get those resources in one spot is very difficult.”</p>
<p>With Spacesaver’s help, the graduate school has built a library that’s open and spacious, with well-organized stacks and separate rooms allocated for calls or study groups.</p>

<h2>Leased Library Space</h2>
<p>The institution needed to build its library in leased space, which added a layer of complexity to the new library’s planning and design process. Before the current space was acquired, the library occupied a room adjacent to a maintenance room, with inadequate shelving and no room for growth.</p>
<p>Establishing a working library was a top priority. Because the space was not designed to bear the heavy load of library books, the building’s weight restrictions figured prominently in the planning and design process. “We needed to go with the five-high stack so that we could maintain the weight limit restrictions,” said Britain Jacobson, Director of Facilities and Auxiliary Services. “That was a priority. And then after that, initially one of the main considerations was being able to make it as large as possible within the 7,200 square feet that we had.”</p>

<p>Learn how we can help make the most of your space. Spacesaver helps The Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security build a library in leased space.</p>

Download & Share this Story

Library Director

<h2>High-value Shelving and Local Service</h2>
<p>The planning team wanted to create space not only for books and journals, but also for study and collaboration. “We wanted a library space that we could expand as needed, and then also give students places to study, private rooms for smaller conference calls, and conference rooms where students could meet and go over group projects,” Jacobson said.</p>
<p>After the planning team determined the scope of the project, they reviewed proposals from a number of shelving vendors, ultimately deciding that Spacesaver offered the best value. “We went for high quality and a reasonably priced solution, and that was Spacesaver,” Jacobson said.</p>

<p>The fact that a local Spacesaver consultant was available to assist with planning efforts was a major bonus. “He was involved in multiple meetings, he was able to come to construction planning meetings, he was able to turn things around really quickly,” Jacobson said of the local Spacesaver consultant. “That was very important because we were trying to get the library going as quickly as possible so we weren’t paying to lease space before we were even able to use it.”</p>
<h2>A Solid Foundation</h2>
<p>The new library can hold approximately 40-45,000 volumes. “We don’t anticipate having to go beyond that,” Jacobson said, adding that the library planning team foresees acquiring more digital materials. “It gives us a solid foundation for the more historical aspects of the books and the research that students need access to.”</p>

<p>Universities are like small cities, with a variety of facilities from libraries and sports arenas to police departments and hospitals. That’s why campus space management is so important, download our guide for more information and ideas.</p>

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The University of Texas at Austin expands its off-site shelving facility in stages to help make space for modern library design. 

Off-Site Shelving Helps Library Repurpose Space on Campus

<h2>Teaching an old building new tricks</h2>
<p>The interior of the Perry-Castañeda Library at the University of Texas at Austin has recently been repurposed to create a more modern environment for teaching and learning. The building was first opened to the public in 1977 and was designed in the brutalist style, with a stark concrete exterior. Inside, the building had multiple floors of book stacks and few spaces for group work or collaboration.</p>

<p>Decades later, as students began to seek more modern workspaces, the library system’s leadership recognized the need for a more open layout, spaces for meetings and study groups, contemporary furnishings, and room for innovative technology. “Space is an important physical asset in the library, and there are a lot of competing interests,” said Chris Carter, Director of Organizational Effectiveness for the UT libraries.</p>

<h2>Making way for change</h2>
<p>The library system’s leadership had big ideas about how to renovate the building, and these plans were made possible by moving a quarter of the library system’s printed materials off-site. The university had already constructed an off-site preservation storage facility. Library leadership worked with stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for moving books from campus to the facility, with the goal of maintaining accessibility to library materials while freeing up space on campus for more modern uses.</p>

<p>As the library system’s collections have grown, so has the facility: seven off-site modules are planned through 2050. The university’s planning and design teams worked with Spacesaver’s local representatives, along with Spacesaver’s project management and engineering teams, to design and install an <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label="high bay high-density mobile sytem product details">XTend® High-Bay-Shelving System</a> that perfectly fits the space and complies with building codes.</p>

Director of Organizational Effectiveness for the UT libraries

<h2>More space for learning and collaboration</h2>
<p>The newly renovated library features a variety of areas that promote modern scholarship.</p>

<p>Do you need more workspaces in your library? See how the University of Austin Texas was able to work with Spacesaver’s local representatives to come up with a solution to make more room for teachers and students.</p>

Download Our Case Study

<h2>Moving Staff</h2>
<p>With intense competition for space on campus, plans are underway to rethink the locations in which library staff are housed.&nbsp;“Our staff are perhaps our most important asset, and the way we work is changing.” Carter said. “We can work in many locations while still remaining connected to each other.”</p>
<p>For instance, books that need repair are generally worked on in the main library, as they have been for around 40 years. Carter said the next high-bay module could include new workspaces for conservators and other staff who work more behind the scenes than in front of the public. “There’s no driver to move them today, but we recognize that a lot of our back-of-the-house print tasks can be consolidated at the off-site facility and that that would be more efficient for the university,” he said.</p>

<h2>Building Partnerships</h2>
<p>Not only is the university’s library system re-thinking space on campus, it’s also forming partnerships with other institutions in hopes of creating a shared collection that can be accessed by researchers around the state.</p>

<h2>Ready to learn more?</h2>
<p>Spacesaver’s XTend specialists can help with all aspects of planning and implementing a high-bay shelving system. Our in-house engineering and project management teams, along with our network of local distributors, offer years of experience and unparalleled expertise in high-bay shelving design. We look forward to meeting you and working with you on your project.</p>

<p>When building an off-site library storage facility, consider storage solutions early in the process. It is well worth the effort, as the building’s footprint and purpose can be tied directly to the way shelving is implemented.</p>

Considering a High-bay Facility?

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Off-site Shelving Helps Library Repurpose Space on Campus

The Canadian University built a new high-bay library and archival storage facility.

A Canadian University's New Archival Storage Facility Connects to Campus

<p>A major Canadian university’s off-site library and archives had been housed in a converted IKEA warehouse on the far outskirts of the city since 1994, and the building began approaching capacity in the early 2000s. After exploring various options for leasing, renting, or purchasing a new facility, the planning team decided to build a new, purpose-built facility on the university’s South Campus. </p>

<p>The goal of the new building was to maintain an optimal preservation environment while also fostering a better connection between campus and the collections. The challenge was to build that facility on a relatively small footprint while still allowing for 20 years’ worth of future growth.</p>

<h2>Planning for Success</h2>
<p>The new facility is just two light-rail stops away from the bustling center of campus, and its public areas are designed to welcome researchers and students. While the on-campus location was appealing for a number of reasons, it also meant that space was limited. Because using that limited space in the most efficient manner possible was of utmost importance, the design-build firm Stuart Olson contacted Spacesaver early in the design process. They decided to install <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label="high bay mobile system product details">Spacesaver’s XTend® High-Bay Storage System</a>, which takes full advantage of a building’s vertical space.</p>
<p>High-bay shelving is a complex product, and a number of factors need to be considered when determining the system layout. The Spacesaver team visited multiple times and acted as a liaison between the design-build firm and the university employees who would be using the facility every day. “This is such a specialized product, so you need to deal with people who are the professionals,” said Sean Kangas, who managed the project for Stuart Olson. “It was really helpful to hire a team that’s willing to come to the table and be part of the construction team. They brought their expertise forward and helped us understand what the owner wanted and ultimately what we could afford.”</p>

Want to learn more? 

<h2>Smart Planning Saves Space</h2>
<p>Every square inch matters when storing millions of records and the Spacesaver team helped the university’s archivists understand how smart planning could save space and allow for future growth.</p>



<h2>Integrating with Mechanical Systems</h2>
<p>Accommodating millions of books, journals, and archival records was not the design team’s only concern; they also had to build a collections space that would ensure the optimal preservation environment for those materials. Keeping such a large space at a relatively constant temperature and humidity required massive mechanical systems, including air ducts, fans, heaters, and other equipment. The shelving had to fit in with the facility’s mechanical systems while also providing as much shelving as possible.</p>

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Innovative archive storage solutions are possible when partnering with Spacesaver Corporation as seen at the Western Michigan University.

Innovative archive storage solutions are possible when partnering with off-site storage experts.

Western Michigan University

<h2>Library Warehouse Archives</h2>
<p>The 16,000-square-foot Zhang looks nothing like an old-fashioned library. There is a reading room for the public, but there are no wood-paneled shelves, green-shaded lamps or rolling ladders. Inside the Archives, shelves still stretch from floor to ceiling – but they go a lot further up. Documents will be stacked as high as three stories in the air in <a title="XTend® Mobile High-Bay Archival Storage System" href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high density moible sytem product details">high-density shelving units</a>, which are built close together and swing open on tracks to allow archivists access to materials. The new Legacy Collections’ environmental conditions, designed to <b>LEED® Silver specifications</b>, will be unparalleled to any other archival records facility. Western Michigan University (WMU) now has 28,000 cubic feet of documents, photographs, government records, letters and diaries, as well as 100,000 volumes worth of books, serials and bound volumes stored within the monitored temperature, relative humidity, air quality and light controlled conditions. The building and it’s staff can now preserve these documents and keep them from being destroyed.</p>

Archives and Regional History Collections Western Michigan University

<h3>State of the Art Climate</h3>
<p>The new building is climate-controlled, energy efficient and has UV-filtered glass to protect the archival materials. The temperature will be maintained by a geothermal heating and cooling unit, and the Archives were built with a vapor barrier to keep out moisture.</p>



<h3>34 Foot High Movable Shelving</h3>
<p>The order-picker, which looks like a cross between a fork lift and an elevator, can handle up to <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label="moveable-high bay shelving product details">1,000 pounds at the top shelf</a>, said John Parsons, the other site supervisor. The concrete floor, which has electric guides for the machine built inside the aisles, was poured 13 inches thick to handle the weight of the accumulated material.</p>


<h3>Community Resource</h3>
<p>The large reading room was designed with <a href="/products/shelving/high-bay-shelving" aria-label="high-bay shelving product details">1,250 linear feet of shelving</a>, tables and group seating. The reading room has the capacity to be transformed into a 72-seat event center for such activities as public lectures and conferences.</p>


Archives and Regional History Collections Director Western Michigan University

<h2>History and Purpose</h2>
<p>Since 1990, the bulk of the Archives and Regional History Collections have been housed in the old gymnasium in East Hall — with the bulk in a cemented-over swimming pool. Other portions have been housed in North Hall and the dormitory basement in Valley III. 30,000 cubic feet of documents, photographs, government records, letters and diaries, as well as 100,000 volumes worth of books, serials and bound volumes are being moved to the new Zhang Legacy Collections Center. Originally, the Legacy Collections Center was designed to accommodate 10 years of growth for the Archives. But when Western Michigan University accepted the complete archives of the Kalamazoo Gazette in 2012, that cut the amount to 8-1/2 years.</p>



Othmer Library Director

<h2>Library Collection Preservation Challenges</h2>
<p>“We had a real challenge with that building,” said Sharon Carlson, Archives and Regional History Collections Director of the Archives’ former home in East Hall. Among other issues, such as shooing away the occasional bat and trying to preserve documents dating to the 1830s with window-unit air-conditioners and dehumidifiers, the Archives staff also had to deal with a balky storm drain that periodically let water into the building. The University’s long-term goal was to find or build a permanent home that is secure, climate-controlled and easily accessible by the general public. The planned building will bring together the collections from East Hall as well as the off-site storage areas. “In the end there was a real cost savings to getting the entire collection under one roof and having them in a purpose-built building like the Zhang Legacy Collections Center,” said Carlson.</p>


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A compact shelving system allowed Salve Regina University's library to consolidate its book collection and create collaborative workspaces.

As libraries change, Spacesaver's storage solutions free up space for new uses.

Compact shelving makes room for library makerspace

<h6>Makerspaces are increasingly popular in university libraries and public libraries, because they provide space for students and community members to learn, collaborate, and create.</h6>
<p>Over the past five years, the Salve Regina University’s McKillop Library has started to repurpose space devoted to book storage. The rise of digital technology and the need for collaborative spaces has created demand for more open and creative working areas, and while the library wanted to maintain its traditional stacks, staff also needed to create space for a computer lab, workspaces, and collaborative areas.</p>

Director of Library Services

<h2>Helping Libraries Evolve</h2>
<p>As schools and universities increase their emphasis on technology and collaborative work, demand has increased for more open and creative working areas at public and university libraries.</p>
<p>The McKillop Library at Salve Regina started planning their space repurposing by determining what it eventually would be used for. Throughout the library, areas were designated for quiet study and collaborative space, as well as rooms for academic services and tutoring.</p>
<p>There is even a Makerspace area, which is a rising trend among libraries around the nation. Makerspaces allow students and patrons to create works of art, build something, or learn a new trade all within the walls of the library. The Makerspace at McKillop Library includes a button maker, a cri-cutter and a laminator.</p>
<p>The Director of Library Services, Olga Verbeek, said that a lot of students use the Makerspace, especially education majors. Other universities such as North Carolina State and the University of Michigan offer 3D printing services and multimedia production rooms.</p>

<h6>Compact shelving compacted most of the library’s traditional stacks into half of the third floor, freeing up room for collaborative workspaces.</h6>
<p>The library’s new compact storage system has also created other areas for collaborative work. Large tables and whiteboards are now located throughout the library for students to use. Each space allows students to work on projects in a group setting. The curriculum resource center has given more students a place to go for help with their work outside of the classroom. All of these new and open spaces in McKillop were made possible by reducing and consolidating the library’s book collection. A 22-carriage high-density mobile storage system now compactly stores most of the collection. Spacesaver helped the library cut costs and reduce waste by using the library’s existing metal shelving and wooden end panels.</p>
<h2>Intuitive Touchscreens for Simple Control</h2>
<p>Taking up only half of the third floor, the new high-density mobile storage system offers convenient access to the stacks. Patrons and staff can open aisles at the point of need using an LCD touchscreen system developed by Spacesaver, which is called <B>Touch Technology Control™</b>. The screen’s intuitive visual cues make it easy, particularly for younger students, to operate the units and access books and other media.</p>
<p>Since the system was installed and the new space was created, more students have been using the resources on a daily basis. The high-density mobile system will add value to the Salve Regina library for the future.</p>

compact library storage to free up for makerspace

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Compact Shelving Makes Room for Library Makerspace

Learn how the University of Washington’s School of Aquatics and Fishery Sciences was able to utilize a compact shelving system to house a world-class collection of 10 million objects.

The University of Washington installs their second Spacesaver mobile storage system—20 years after their first.

Preserves Fishery Science Samples

<h2>Preserving Fishery Science Samples</h2>
<p>When the University of Washington School of Aquatics and Fishery Sciences received a grant from the National Science Foundation to bring the largest collection of otoliths (small bones found in the inner ears of fish that can be used to age the species) to their facility in Washington, the goal was to make the collection available to researchers all over the world. The collection consisted of approximately 1.9 million samples collected since the late 1970s and housed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).</p>

<p>There’s no question what a collection like this would mean for the School—now, they just had to find the space to store it. In addition to figuring out how to store the 12,000 boxes they had just acquired, there were also other challenges. Some of these bones were highly flammable, and NOAA had previously stored the collection in Styrofoam boxes that would actually melt if there was a fire—sealing the collections inside and destroying them forever. The current storage situation was such a hazard that NOAA was told that the fire department would not actually fight a potential fire and the entire collection would be lost.</p>
<h2>Compact Shelving Systems</h2>
<p>The University not only had to find a <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="compact mobile system product details">compact shelving system</a> for the collection, but they also needed to transfer the collection from the Styrofoam containers to cardboard containers during processing.</p>
<p>The School had an idea. Twenty years prior, an authorized Spacesaver distributor had provided them with a <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high density mobile system product details">high-density mobile storage system</a> to house their fish collection—4,100 species of fish, equal to 300,000 adult fish samples in jars and large refrigerated drawers that were custom-designed. The system is still accessed on a daily basis—and due to this long-lasting solution, the University knew who could help them solve their latest storage challenge.</p>

<p>Spacesaver recommended an <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/heavy-duty-mobile-racking " aria-label="heavy duty mobile system product details">ActivRAC 7M</a>, outfitted with standard industrial-grade racking, to store the massive otolith collection. The top mount rail used with the ActivRAC system is anchored right into the finished concrete, which means no raised floor or grouting was needed to install this compact shelving system. This helped keep costs down for the University and meant the room didn’t need to be altered in any way prior to the installation.</p>
<p>In addition to housing the 12,000 boxes of samples, the increase in storage space meant that the University was also able to plan for 5,000 additional boxes. The racking of the compact shelving system is currently installed at 10 feet high, and has the capacity for even more vertical shelving once the fire suppression system is upgraded.</p>

<h6>Currently, the 12,000 boxes of samples fit easily in the new ActivRAC 7M system and has room to house upwards of 17,000 boxes. Because the racking system is only ten feet high, there is also room to add shelving vertically.</h6>

<p>The consolidation and addition of this otolith collection makes the University’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences one of the largest fish collections in the world with approximately 10 million objects. “The room is crammed full of these amazing compact shelves that easily roll back and forth, and we are able to fit all of these boxes with plenty of room for growth,” says the School’s Ichthyology Collections Manager, Katherine Maslenikov.</p>
<p>Our ActivRAC systems aren’t just for industrial or warehouse applications. Take a look at how ActivRAC was able to store 6,000 lb. torpedoes for the <a href="/case-study/torpedoes-heavy-duty-storage-solution" aria-label="naval museum install story">Naval Undersea Museum in Seattle, Washington</a>.</p>

<p>ActivRAC eliminates aisles in your storage space by mounting pallet racking or shelving on carriages that move back and forth on rails anchored to the floor. The carriages have a load capacity ranging from 7,000 lbs. up to 30,000 lbs.</p>

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Compact Shelving System Preserves Fishery Science Samples

For the University of Wisconsin-Madison, efficient off-site library storage is a way to keep students happy and maintain a reputation as one of the top research universities in the world.

Efficient off-site library storage is so much more than finding a place for books. For the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it’s a way to keep students happy and maintain a reputation as one of the top research universities in the world.

A Partnership on the Shelf

<h2>Offsite Library Warehouse</h2>
<p>Ten miles southwest of the vibrant energy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, an unassuming warehouse sits just off a wooded country road in Verona, Wisconsin. From its modest location and stature, not many would guess that this warehouse is currently home to over 100,000 volumes of rare books, manuscripts, and thesis works—with the goal to store well over a million volumes in the space over the next several years.</p>
<p>For UW-Madison, the warehouse and its archival book storage represents more than just a place to store volumes—with 42 libraries stretched across the campus, it’s also a critical investment in the future of the university’s library system.</p>
<p>Early on, the UW-Madison Libraries witnessed a trend akin to countless libraries around the world—libraries started to become less static and more dynamic. The days of a library simply being a place to access printed materials or serve as a quiet place to study were numbered, and <a href="/libraries/off-site-archival-library" aria-label="off site library storage solutions">spaces were transitioning to collaborative, social spaces</a> with access to advanced technology.</p>
<p>The Space Management and Shelving Group at UW-Madison came to a realization—if alternative space for shelving and materials could be made available, approximately 30,000 square feet of library space across the campus could be immediately renovated to provide study spaces, computer-enhanced learning facilities, and updated library services.</p>


The Estimated capacity of the fully-loaded <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label="high bay mobile system product details">High-Bay archival storage system</a> at the Verona Shelving Facility is 1,216,836 volumes. The UW Libraries expects to fill the system in about five years.

Vice Provost for Libraries, University of Wisconsin-Madison

<h3>Making Room to Grow</h3>
<p>At the same time, UW-Madison ranks as one of the most prolific research universities in the world. While technology has offered a way for many collections to be digitized, the university recognized there would always be a need for physical resources. In order to stay competitive, the library system knew they needed keep the materials they currently possessed while retaining the capacity needed to collect additional materials, and above all, keep those materials safe and useable for future and current researchers alike.</p>


<p>Library staff knew these two priorities could co-exist, and with that, they started researching the most efficient way to store as many volumes as possible in the 10,000 square foot Verona Shelving Facility building. Having partnered with Spacesaver for storage solutions in countless buildings on the UW-Madison campus, collaborating on this groundbreaking project was a natural fit.</p>
<p>“We’ve worked with Spacesaver for decades on multiple projects, beginning when we put high-density shelving in the Kohler Art Library,” says Ed Van Gemert, UW-Madison’s Vice Provost for Libraries. “They provide a tremendous solution to our growing shelving and storage needs.”</p>



The number of usable, adjustable shelves on the system is 5,436.

<h2>Custom Electric Highbay Shelving</h2>
<p>Working closely with the facility’s architects as well as library staff on the Verona project, Spacesaver’s sales team, project managers, and engineers designed an <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label=“high bay mobile system produt details”>XTend® High-Bay Archival Shelving System</a> with 12 moveable carriages, each 18.5’ high and just over 60’ long. There are over 5,300 useable shelves in the system, each with a maximum capacity of 768 pounds. All of those numbers translate into one important one—the archival book storage system has an estimated capacity of over 1.2 million volumes, meaning the UW Libraries can plan for the future in all of the ways they envisioned.</p>
<p>The storage system features three moveable bays, which enables one Verona staff member to retrieve materials in one unit and still have access to two other units. “That was something Spacesaver designed for us that we didn’t even think about,” says Heather Weltin, Facilitator for Cooperative Sharing &amp; Storage at UW-Madison. Within the bays, fully adjustable shelves ensure optimum storage density, as everything on Verona’s shelves is arranged not by title, author, or subject, but by size.</p>


<h3>Custom Loading Carts</h3>
<p>In order to efficiently access materials from the moveable order bays, Spacesaver designed three custom carts to fit the facility’s order picker. These carts double as a workspace and provide a significant time savings for the facility’s two full-time employees. “The carts allow us to load and unload the volumes while we’re up in the picker, and since they’re able to go up with us, it’s very efficient. The staff is able to have their trays right there in addition to having space for writing or anything else they might need to do. Being able to do the work you need to do right here instead of having to come back down is extremely convenient for us.”</p>


<p>The storage thinkers at Spacesaver also were able to assist in additional ways, working to make sure the installed <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/high-bay-mobile-system" aria-label=“high-bay mobile system product details”>high-bay system</a> worked in tandem with facility’s infrastructure, from the climate control needs and the fire suppression system to the archival system used by the library staff. The aisle floors of the system were even outfitted with wire guidance that automatically guide the facility’s order picker to guarantee the equipment won’t get damaged and most importantly, to ensure user safety while the lift is in operation.</p>

30,000 square feet of library space is available for the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to renovate and upgrade into collaborative spaces, study rooms, and more upon the migration of materials to the Verona Shelving Facility.

Facilitator for Cooperative Sharing & Storage, University of Wisconsin-Madison

<h2>Integrated Archival Book Storage Solution</h2>
<p>The archival book storage at Verona Shelving Facility currently holds 1.5 miles of volumes, and is expected to take several years to fill the estimated storage capacity of 1.2 million volumes. In the near future, everything placed in the facility will be made available to users who request particular materials, and the new shelving system ensures users won’t experience delays in accessing materials they need.</p>
<p>What looks to be a simple warehouse on the outside is filled with the latest technology. This integrated archival book storage solution allows the library system of a world-class university to not only meet the demands of new and reinvented library spaces for an ever-evolving student population, but also to best serve its wide range of researchers and users.</p>



<p>“I often refer to shelving as a lynchpin, because we’re doing other things with the space that the print once occupied,” says Van Gemert. “We’re completely rethinking how we’re using the spaces in our libraries today.” Weltin agrees, and adds, “It’s a masterpiece, and the future it’s allowing us to have will have a great impact on the campus and the libraries’ future.”</p>


<p>Freeing up library space benefits student collaboration and studying. When building an off-site library storage facility, consider storage solutions early in the process. It is well worth the effort, as the building’s footprint and purpose can be tied directly to the way shelving is implemented.</p>

‘A testament to style and function’

Education Storage Projects