Service number 08
Library Shifting, Shelving and Space Planning
A collection move is arithmetic before it is labour. We measure the collection, calculate growth space by class, plan the sequence, and carry out the shift so that the shelf order on the last day is the order you specified on the first.
| Survey unit | Running metres by classification range |
|---|---|
| Target fill | Planned at two-thirds shelf occupancy for growth |
| Accessibility | Aisle widths planned for wheelchair access |
| Output | Layout drawings, move map, verification report |
Section 01
What you receive.
- Measured collection survey by class, in running metres
- Shelving layout with fill ratios and calculated growth allowance
- Move sequence plan and shelf-by-shelf mapping
- Executed shift with continuous class order maintained
- Post-move shelf order verification and updated location data
Section 02
How the work runs.
- Measure the collection and record occupancy class by class
- Model target layout, fill ratio and growth allowance
- Plan sequence, labelling and access during the move
- Execute in mapped batches with order checked at each stage
- Verify final order and update location data in the catalogue
Section 03
Who this is for.
- Libraries moving to a new building or floor
- Institutions installing compact or mobile shelving
- Libraries reorganising after a large accession or withdrawal
Section 04
Questions we are usually asked.
- Can readers use the collection during a move?
- Partly. Sections in transit are unavailable for short, published windows; everything else stays accessible, and retrieval is offered for items in a section currently being moved.
- How is growth space decided?
- From your own accession and withdrawal figures over recent years, applied per classification range, rather than a single blanket percentage across the collection.
Section 05
Enquire about library shifting, shelving and space planning.
Tell us the size of the collection, the systems already in use, and the deadline you are working to. That is enough for a useful first reply.