,

Racing through a Collections Project: completing a learning spaces remodel of reference in three months Beth Schuck, beth.schuck@nau.edu,

Associate University Librarian, Northern Arizona University

April 2012Project team develops milestones; arranges for training and student staffing/ prepare spaces

Fall 2012 Complete cataloging changes. Update building maps / train staff/ open new learning spaces

July-August 2012Carpet removal/install Complete stacks shifts / weeding & transfer items/ Re-label stacks

May-June 2012Decision and remove items in stacks & reference for processing/ Remove shelving

Project timeline

Library staff moved all the items over a 3 month period. Together we shifted multiple collections to clear out space for a remodel. Shelving was moved using a stacks mover; and teams moved collections from one area to another.

Transferred over 11,000 items; 9,200 volumes from reference, 2,000 other volumes. Touched 32,000 volumes, most weighing approx. 2 lbs; each handled 5 times (on/off shelves, book trucks, etc. = 160 tons

Beth Schuck, Associate University Librarian; Beth.Schuck@nau.edu

Biggest Challenges in this Project• Short timeline and need to wait until end of

Spring semester to avoid disturbing users• Keeping staff motivated through long days of

challenging work• Space for carts of items waiting for transfer• Large number of items moved to stacks

meant many small stacks shifts/re-labeling

Lessons Learned from this Project• Plan for extra staff as the work will take more time despite your

best estimates• Ask everyone to assist; anyone who could, helped us!• Celebrate each step as it is completed; this kept everyone

aware of and proud of the progress• We were surprised by the number of duplicates we found in

reference and stacks• 160 tons of items were moved-that is equivalent to the weight

of 8 Male African elephants

Learn more about Cline Library’s Learning Spaces project:http://library.nau.edu/information/learning_spaces_project/cline_library.html