University of Arkansas Libraries: Construction of a New High-Density Storage Facility is Underway

From U. of Arkansas:

A high-density storage facility is under construction off Hill Avenue in south Fayetteville, designed to house University Libraries items in a climate-controlled environment. The 27,000-square-foot storage facility will hold approximately 1.8 million volumes when filled to capacity. The facility will also have a preservation and conservation area where materials will be cleaned, repaired and restored, as well as a workspace area for staff.

The new Library Storage Building represents a new and innovative era for the University Libraries on many levels, but in particular, the LSB will be the first demonstration of mass timber design and construction in the state of Arkansas,” said Peter MacKeith, dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture.
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Cross-laminated timber, known in the trade as CLT, originated in Germany and Austria in the 1990s, and is a cost-competitive, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to concrete, masonry and steel construction. A CLT panel is constructed of timber planks that are stacked, glued and laminated in perpendicular layers under heavy pressure. The panels are pre-fabricated according to the builder’s specifications, then shipped to the building site and assembled, greatly reducing the construction time and eliminating construction waste.
CLT panels offer many advantages over traditional construction methods and materials, including improved dimensional stability to wide and tall construction, such as in the Libraries’ storage facility. In addition to providing a higher fire resistance and a higher building hardening rating on the Fujita tornado scale, CLT panels are lighter and thinner than steel and concrete construction, allowing for less massive foundations, structural supports, and roof, all of which make the building more cost effective to build. They also offer sound insulation, long term structural integrity and durability (even rated against earthquakes), and warm more quickly and hold warmth longer than concrete and steel.

Direct to U. of Arkansas Future Library Storage Facility FAQs

Filed under: Libraries, News, Preservation