Bob Fox
Dean, University Libraries
University of Louisville
Bruce Keisling
Associate Dean
University of Louisville
Jeff Carrico
Associate Dean
Georgia Institute of Technology
Most libraries at some point deal with the inherent conflict between the storage of print collections versus the redeployment of those collections spaces for transformative programming needs or simply more student space. Each year, a number of libraries address this by developing or expanding onsite/offsite storage solutions so that they can both maintain their collections and also grow program/student spaces. While these new storage spaces can vary considerably in their operational approach, the host libraries must all consider similar technical questions in how their users will discover and interact with items that are moved to the storage spaces. Will these items be searchable through the library’s discovery tools or a separate inventory control system? Will the library deploy a proprietary solution or a home grown one? Will the various tools that are used be interoperable? The presenters, from two institutions that implemented very different high-density storage spaces, will discuss their respective systems and note how they developed their infrastructures to facilitate the integration of numerous tools in a way that promotes user discoverability of the relocated collections. They will also discuss why their decisions made sense operationally for their libraries and address problems they encountered along the way.
