The Libraries Annex, approximately 16,000 square feet in size, is specially constructed to house up to 1.5 million volumes of low-use materials.
Where is the Libraries Annex located?
The Annex is located at 3850 Rensch Road across Sweet Home Road from UB's North Campus.
Why does UB need the Libraries Annex?
The UB Libraries have exceeded shelving and space capacity on the academic spine. Our on-campus Libraries have room for 72 miles of shelving, but we own 75 miles of materials, over 3.5 million volumes.
Our ongoing book and journal purchases require an additional 1.5-2.0 miles of new shelving each year.
Print materials must continue to be preserved since experts estimate that only 1% of presently published materials will ever be converted to digital format.
Are off-site library annexes cost effective?
Yale University calculates off-site storage costs as less than 10% of the expense of traditional, on-campus library buildings.
Traditional library shelving has a capacity of 75,000 volumes in 10,000 square feet of space. Up to 1.5 million volumes can be placed in the same space using high-density storage methods.
What materials will be moved to the Annex, and how are they selected?
Older books and journals that are used infrequently are under consideration for transfer.
The selection criteria used in deciding which materials to move out of the campus libraries varies depending upon the needs of the academic disciplines.
Decisions to transfer materials include consultation with faculty. The Libraries Annex is considered a dynamic collection, which means that volumes may be returned to campus libraries if increased use is evident.
How are materials in the Libraries Annex requested and delivered?
Requests for materials located in the Annex may be submitted at any time using an online request form available via the UB Libraries' website.
Books are retrieved by Annex staff, and charged out on the same basis as other circulating library materials.
In most cases, individual journal articles are transmitted electronically to the requestor's workstation, often within 1 business day. Books are delivered to a campus library or department office within 1 business day.
Is there on-site access for researchers?
The Libraries Annex has a reading room for on-site use of library materials. This space accommodates users who need access to long runs of journals or large numbers of books.
Virtual browsing is possible via the Libraries online catalog.
Are there examples of successful library off-site facilities?
Many large university libraries, faced with the challenge of maintaining strong print collections, while providing access to an expanding array of electronic resources, utilize off-site facilities to help solve their storage problems.
The websites listed below provide additional information on library annex facilities:
