Moving or Relocating a Library: Home
Resources to help libraries to physically relocate their collections.
Planning is an essential element to moving a library collection - and the earlier the planning process begins, the better. This resource guide provides general information and guidance on moving your library collection.
Please note: The ALA does not endorse products or companies. For a list of library movers and moving companies, please see Library Moving Companies in the American Libraries Buyers Guide.
Online Resources about Moving Library Collections
Additional resources can be found by doing a web search using the terms shifting library stacks. This will provide results for both shifting items within a library (moving stacks) and major moves involving relocating building contents.
- British Library Preservation Advisory Centre: Moving CollectionsThis booklet provides guidance on best practice for moving library and archive collections, but is not intended to address the routine movement of books within a library or archive. A move presents a one-off chance for improving collection care and management, an opportunity to undertake a stock audit, rearrange and upgrade storage, improve housekeeping, and to clean, stabilise and re-house collections.
- Designing libraries: Planning a successful library or archive moveDesigning Libraries is a freely accessible resource for everyone interested in design and innovation in libraries.
- Library Moving Companies in the American Libraries Buyers GuideA database dedicated to library professionals, helping them to find the services and products they need.
- Moving Libraries and Archives: A Selected BibliographyA bibliography created in 2005 by the staff of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
- Moving Library Collections: Planning Shifts of Library CollectionsPlanning a major shift of a library collection is not as complex as it is tedious. Careful measurement and excruciating attention to detail will almost always guarantee success. If your shift is large (lots of books, or lots of moving parts), I recommend that your plans be very thoroughly documented, widely shared, and each step of your plan be followed precisely.
Books and Articles about Library Relocation
Moving Your Library by ISBN: 9780838909942Publication Date: 2009-07-01This title is the complete kit for any librarian facing the daunting prospect of moving a library collection. Everything you need for the move is included.
- Moving Libraries: a WorldCat ListBooks and other resources on physically moving library collections.
