Good Morning,
Many people generously responded to my earlier query about
loading capacity. There seems to be a consensus about 150lbs. per sq. foot for
regular stacks and 300 lbs. per sq. foot for compact shelving. Many provided
sources for this:
Planning
academic and research library buildings
Author:
Leighton,
Philip D.
Format:
Book
Published:
Chicago : American Library Association,
1999.
Language:
English
and B.J.
Irvine’s book: Facilities Standards for Art Libraries and Visual
Resources Collections – on page 40 the weight-bearing load for art
book stacks is examined.
This
is quoted from that publication:
“The
weight-bearing load for art book stacks should conform to the standard
150lb. per square ft. (7.324 kN/m2). For compact moveable shelving, the
standard is 300 lb. per sq. foot (14.647kN/m2) (Metcalf 1986, 327). (See also
American National Standards Institute 1972; Cohen and Cohen 1979, 89-92; Eyman
1987, 97; and Smith 1987.)”
Appendix
III is also devoted to data for stacks.
I now want to know if anyone has any wisdom to share as to how
to arrange the collection and reading tables in a circular space of 3077
sq. feet. One idea I had was a radial or pinwheel arrangement with stacks
alternating with tables to achieve an alcove arrangement a la Avery Library.
Any thought on this?
Many thanks,
Michael
Michael Young
Art & Design
Librarian
Homer Babbidge
Library
University of
Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
06269
Tel. 860-486-4953
Fax 860-486-6100