The University of California Libraries: A Plan for Development (1977)

174 The University of California Libraries
The methods shown on lines 5 and 6 are based on conventional
shelves, but arranged in two tiers, one above the other, and the
books shelved two deep, one row behind the other. In the first of
these two calculations, it is assumed that the books will be kept
in call number sequence, so that they can be consulted by users who
need to examine bodies of material on particular subjects. In such
an arrangement, utilization of the full shelving capacity becomes
impractical, because at some point "the cost of labor required for
shifting" books in order to add new volumes and still maintain the
call number sequence becomes "so great that it will be uneconomical
to permit further congestion." 11 Keyes Metcalf, perhaps the foremost
authority on the subject, suggests that for this reason 86 percent of
the absolute capacity should be considered "the complete working
capacity," 12 and the calculations on line 5 are made on this basis.
Even allowing for this factor, however, the cost per volume is 7 cents
less than the Hallowell system.
Line 6 shows the cost of the same type of shelving, but with
books arranged by several size categories, and shelved in the same
order as they are received. In this method, the shelves can be
filled completely, and full capacity can therefore (at least
theoretically) be reached. Arranging volumes by size also increases
shelving efficiency. For these reasons, the unit cost for this
method is significantly lower: $1.27 per volume, or 41 cents less
than the method on line 5.
It is clear from this analysis that either method 5 or method 6
should be used, the latter if maximum economy is desired, and the
former if on-the-shelf consultation by users is necessary. Whether
such consultation is necessary or not will depend largely on the
nature of the specific items placed in the compact shelving facilities.
If they are predominantly back runs of periodicals, for
example, this provision may not be required; if they are primarily
11
Keyes D. Metcalf, Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings,
McGraw-Hill, 1971, p. 155.
12
Ibid.