Storing Local History at Libraries

In addition to typical print collections, libraries are often repositories for a community’s historic treasures: maps, architectural plans, newspapers, local authors’ journals and manuscripts, and other artifacts and memorabilia.

These items need to be protected and preserved. Here are a few ways STORAGELogic of Maryland can help store local history at public libraries.

Calgary Central Library

Map Cabinets as Storage and Display

The new Calgary Central Library features stunning architecture and a variety of innovations to help patrons learn and explore. The “Calgary’s Story” area showcases the local history collection of the Calgary Public Library, including monographs, photos, documents and historical maps.

Maps and other large documents are housed in Viking by Spacesaver flat-file cabinets with glass display tops. The cabinets are mounted on casters (wheels) so staff can easily reconfigure the space for special events.

“We love that they’re on casters, providing us lots of flexibility,” said Facilities Design Lead Lisa Hardy. “The glass display makes the materials inside more visible to visitors so that they know without signage what is in the drawers. They suit our purpose perfectly.”

Richland Library Eastover

Historic Photos as a Design Element

All too often, a town’s historic photographs are stored away and rarely seen or appreciated. The public library in Eastover, South Carolina, on the other hand, has found a creative way to bring history front and center. When the library, which had been in the same location for 30 years, received grant funding for a renovation and expansion, staff and the community wanted the design to incorporate modern elements like flexible room layout and access to technology while still honoring local history.

The nearby Spacesaver consultant worked with the clients and Spacesaver to design a creative solution. Historic photos were scanned and printed on acrylic panels, and then the local Spacesaver installation crew mounted them to shelving. It’s a creative way to bring the community’s history out of the archives and into public view.

Harper College Library

Secure Storage for Archives and Special Collections

Faculty and staff at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, worked with their architect and their local Spacesaver consultant to design a secure area in the college’s new library to house archives and special collections. While the bulk of archival paper storage was housed on compact mobile shelving, the college also needed to store odd-sized items including plaques, dinnerware, and other objects associated with the institution’s history.

Due to budget considerations, and because the objects didn’t need the more extensive

protection offered by museum cabinets, library staff opted to install Spacesaver’s 4-Post shelving units fitted with doors and slide-out 4-Post trays. The trays fully extend, allowing researchers to view objects without disturbing them, and the doors have keyed locks, providing an additional layer of security. As the collection grows over time, the trays can be raised or lowered without special tools, allowing staff to adjust tray spacing to maximize space and accommodate objects of different heights.

Compacting Kiosk

Spacesaver created a compacting kiosk for a small bookstore located inside the entrance to the downtown public library in Seattle, Washington.

The shop is operated by volunteers with the local Friends of the Library group, so the system needed to be straightforward and easy to use. The clerk opens and closes the kiosk by sliding the shelving units along rails installed in the floor. The carriages’ roller guidance provides smooth operation, which allows books to remain on shelving during opening and closing procedures. Extra stock and supplies are stored in cabinets located in one of the units, and sleek, removable rail covers conceal the rails and provide a finished appearance.

At closing time, the clerk removes the rail covers and slides the shelving units back together to form a compact, self-contained unit. The clerk then replaces the rail covers. The closed kiosk keeps stock secure when the shop is unattended and frees up space in the entrance lobby for after-hours receptions and other events.

To learn more call our office at 410-472-0824 or email info@storagelogicinc.com