The study profiles the efforts of the following institutions to develop and manage storage facilities: The Research Collection and Preservations Consortium (ReCAP) whose members include Princeton University, Columbia University, New York Public Library, and Harvard University; the University of Iowa, Iowa City; Williams College; Western Michigan University; and Liberty University.
This carefully composed study is designed to take its readers directly into the planning and management process of the universities profiled, granting hard to find insights into staffing, storage item selection criteria, item tracking and cataloging, warehouse organization, temperature/climate control, technology use and vendor management, library worker safety, work flows and productivity – and other issues in the development and management of both onsite and offsite storage facilities for academic libraries. Survey participants relate their triumphs but also point out what they would have done differently, and how other libraries can learn from their experience.
The report was written by Kathleen Lehman and Lori Lennertz. Kathleen Lehman has been the Head of User Services at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Libraries since July 2015; Lora Lennertz is the Data Services Librarian at the University of Arkansas where she has worked in various capacities since 1991 including Head of Access Services, Preservation Librarian, Performing Arts and Media Librarian and Director for Academic and Research Services.
In addition to the five profiles, the authors provide personal commentary and a timely and useful bibliography to facilitate further research.
The 54-page study helps its readers to answer questions such as: How many FTE or part time workers staff academic library storage facilities? What are typical turnaround times for patron requests and how have turnaround times been reduced? What are the selection criteria for items included in storage? How are items inspected and reviewed before inclusion in storage?