Increasing our capacity

Last year, we began a major shifting project. The new shelves are ridiculously tall and very deep. Material can be “dense packed” meaning that there is a whole lot of stuff every shelf.

In January, library staff got a sneak peak and saw our books’ new home. The environment is highly controlled and the humidity and temperature are just right for keeping our material safe.

The best part of this is that we now have the capacity to collect and purchase even more material for you! This allows us to grow and adapt to better suit your, the researchers, needs.

Check out these photos from my visit.

Many of UMD’s theses and dissertations have move from Special Collections and University Archives shelves to their new, cozy location.

Books are stored in long boxes. There are two rows of boxes on each shelf.

This mechanical lift extends to the top shelves.

These scanners are used to quickly digitize material for users.

By Laura Cleary