Research Now & For Generations to Come

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September 10, 2024
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Kris Ayers uses the forklift in the LCSF to access collections up to 30ft high
Awe-Inspiring Library Collections & Services Facility Now Operational

We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our newest library building, the Library Collections & Services Facility (LCSF). “The Libraries currently steward over 3.5 million volumes acquired since Dartmouth’s founding in 1769 as well as the institutional records of Dartmouth. The new LCSF is a critical addition to the Libraries’ infrastructure that will ensure the long-term stewardship and care of our valuable physical collections and records, not only for the needs of our current academic community but for generations to come,” Susanne Mehrer, Dean of Libraries. 

two images side by side, on left is Elena Cordova using a scanner in the LCSF; on the right is Qiana Johnson leading the tour

from left, Elena Cordova and Qiana Johnson

Having long outgrown the space capacity on campus, this new facility on Etna Road in Lebanon allows us to retain, develop and care for Dartmouth’s incredible collections as an extension of our centrally located libraries. For the thousands of items housed at the LCSF, the Dartmouth community can request to have documents scanned and sent to their email or to have items delivered to Baker-Berry Library for collection.

Provost David Kotz left with Vice Provost Barbara Wills touring the LCSF

Provost David Kotz left with Vice Provost Barbara Will

In August, the Dean was delighted to take Provost David Kotz, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Barbara Will, and other guests on a tour. The Provost was impressed with this remarkable new building, which “enables Dartmouth to provide its scholars rapid access to its extensive collections, while caring for materials in a state-of-the-art facility.”

Library staff proudly showcased the different spaces, including the vast high-density shelving module, the film vault, and the reading and conference room. They highlighted the importance of the new facility to Dartmouth’s mission as a research-intensive institution. Barbara Will was excited to learn that Dartmouth scholars can reserve the dedicated reading and conference room to access and view items from LCSF’s collections on site.

picture left shows tour attendees in the LCSF's dedicated reading and conference room

from left, Provost David Kotz, Kenya Tyson, Susanne Mehrer, Leonee Derr, Elena Cordova, Mary-Ella Zietz, and Joanna Whitcomb

Dartmouth Libraries’ collections and resources are fundamental to the outstanding liberal arts and professional schools education offered at Dartmouth. Our Libraries support all disciplines, many of which will continue to rely on print and other physical materials. With the addition of the LCFS, we can continue to build our collections for the benefit of Dartmouth and scholars worldwide, now and in the future.

Vice Provost Barbara Will examines archival material in the LCSF

Vice Provost Barbara Will

"As a faculty member in the English department, I consider my “lab” to be the library, and the collections are the materials I rely on to do my scholarship. In working on my next book, I look forward to being able to visit the building and make use of the new space provided for faculty researchers who need immediate access to the collections." - Barbara Will, pictured, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs 

 

 

Discover just how massive this state-of-the-art facility is, and its other defining features.

Kris Ayers uses the forklift in the LCSF

Kris Ayers in the LCSF

Size of Facility

  • Approximately 20,000 square feet, or enough room to fit a large private jet

Number of Shelves

  • 10,000 individual shelves equalling 8.5 miles of shelving, or 150 football fields

  • 26 shelves per stack

  • 32 stacks

Height of Shelves

  • 30 feet, or two school bus-lengths long

Our people

  • three full-time staff based primarily at the LCSF

  • two full-time staff working across Baker-Berry Library and the LCSF

Temperature and Humidity

  • 55 - 60° F and 30-35% relative humidity in the main shelving space

  • 38° F in the film vault

The number of items currently in the LCSF

  • Over 600,000 items with a capacity of 1.2 million items

Types of Items

  • books

  • journals

  • film

  • microfilm

  • maps

  • LPs

Per Month Requests

  • Scans of items

    • 141 average scans per month

  • Physical Items

    • 254 average items per month

  • Records Materials

    • 82 average requests per month

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