Preservation Shelving Guidelines

GENERAL SHELVING GUIDELINES

• Shelve books vertically and upright.
• Space the shelves far enough apart to shelve books upright. If a volume is too tall to shelve vertically, adjust the shelving height or have the book reassigned to folio or oversized shelving. Fore edge shelving is unacceptable because it can cause the book block to tear from its case.
• Use appropriately sized bookends at the ends of shelves to keep the books in place.
• Shelve a volume so that the books on either side gently support it.
• Avoid shelving too loosely: the books may permanently bend or splay.
• Avoid overcrowding shelves: jamming books on shelves too tightly distorts the bindings and makes it difficult to remove the books without tearing the spine.

Additional guidelines for compact shelving:

• Allow no overhang of any part of any book beyond the edge of the shelf. If it is impossible to shelve a book without part of it extending beyond the shelf, reassign the book to fixed shelving.
• Create separate areas for regular size and folio size to use space more efficiently.

Additional Guidelines for Oversize Shelving:

Additional Guidelines for Loading Trucks:

• Place books in an upright position on trucks because placing books on their fore edges even for a short period of time can cause the body of the book to tear out of its covers.
• Stack no other materials on top of a row of books.
• Keep books vertical on partially filled shelves by using book ends or a group of books laid flat to support the others.
• Place oversize and large folio books flat on the truck shelf.
• Avoid over loading.
• Balance weight distribution so that book trucks will not tip.
• Avoid jamming books too tightly.
• Move book trucks carefully on and off elevators, around corners, and in narrow passages.

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