Dear Michael,

 

You might be able to get your hands on 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.

 

Hope this is helpful,

 

Kraig

 

 

Good morning,

 

Is anyone on this list aware of a standard calculation or expression of the load/weight of library stacks filled with books? I need this to plan the move of a collection, and to ascertain whether the new location is strong enough to withstand the weight of the books and stacks. Is there a minimum strength/capacity for a building level housing book-filled  library stacks? (e.g. 300 lbs per square foot—not a serious estimate, just an example of the kind of figure I am looking for).

 

Many thanks!

 

Michael Young

Art & Design Librarian

Homer Babbidge Library

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut 06269

Tel. 860-486-4953

Fax 860-486-6100

 

 

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