Whether it’s in a brand new building or a redesigned space, today’s library is increasingly about public, user-focused spaces and a smaller footprint for the book stacks. For libraries of every size, from small branch libraries to large research libraries, the trend towards reduced space for onsite print collections has been the impetus for innovative collections analysis projects, creative plans for remote or shared storage, and renewed interest in consortia agreements. This session highlights some of the different strategies and solutions that librarians have developed for achieving smaller, more focused onsite collections, new collection analysis strategies and tools, transformation to digital collections, and shared print storage projects. Case studies from art, architecture, and college libraries will illustrate a range of collection strategies in practice.
Those interested in this topic may wish to sign up for the companion workshop, “
Big Changes, Big Moves, Smaller Footprints: Strategies for Rightsizing the Onsite Print Collection for the 21st Century Library—The Workshop,” which will feature in-depth information about collections analysis, hands-on experimentation with data visualization tools, and a tour of Hunter College’s Leon & Toby Cooperman Library, which has undergone major space changes, and the Zabar Art Library.
