Spring-Summer 2005 -  Volume 11 -  Number 1

Library Collections Depository

by Maggie Dwyer

The 15,000 square foot Library Collections Depository is being built this summer on land near the intersection of Mitchell and Davis on the west side of campus.

The UTA Libraries have attempted for several years to negotiate remote storage facilities in which to store still-viable but infrequently-used materials, in order to make room for newer and more heavily used materials in the campus library buildings. Remote storage space was previously utilized in Austin, requiring anyone requesting materials in remote storage to wait a day or two to receive their items. A local solution to this storage problem has finally been found. Dean of Libraries Gerald Saxon has announced that a Library annex building will be built at 960 South Davis Street just south of the new art studio complex, and ground was broken in mid-April. The Library Collections Depository will include approx. 15,000 sq. ft. for library materials in a warehouse-type structure. The facility will be equipped with 15 foot tall shelves to maximize the storage capacity of the space. The building itself will be shared with the Office of Information Technologies.

According to Saxon, “Once the annex is completed then we will begin the process of moving materials into the space from SEL, AFA, Central, and Special Collections. This will be a big job but the results—more usable space in Central and the branches—will be worth it.” A task force, chaired by Carleen Dolan, Libraries’ Facilities & Procurement Manager, has been planning the logistics for the move for many months and meets weekly. The building construction is expected to be complete in August, 2005.