Cornell University: New Mui Ho Fine Arts Library Inspires by Design

From the Cornell Chronicle:

What sets the Mui Ho Fine Arts Library apart from other libraries is apparent in the sheer volume of the books it contains, visible all at once inside of Rand Hall.

The second and third floors of the renovated building are now a single open space, dominated by a rectangular mass of shelves and walkways, running almost the entire length of the space and suspended from the reinforced ceiling.

On those shelves are approximately 105,000 books, with room to grow. The three dense stack levels can hold up to 125,000 volumes, befitting one of the largest circulating academic collections in the Northeast dedicated to art and architecture.

“The books and their shelving form a sculptural whole, a breathtaking tribute to the potential of the printed word and image to inspire learning, research, creativity and innovation,” said Gerald R. Beasley, the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian.

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The library officially opened Aug. 5. It offers elevated views of the campus through Rand’s large windows from the open-ended mezzanine stacks. Seminar rooms and staff offices are tucked away and accessible from the stacks.

A help desk, combining reference and circulation services, can assist walk-in patrons; library staff can also retrieve materials from the shelves for patrons as needed.

Read the Complete Article (approx. 1050 words)

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