Penn LIBRA

The Penn Libraries Research Annex, "LIBRA", is a 50,000 square foot facility for high density storage of the University's Heritage Collection. The facility includes archiving, electronic data transmission and computerized high density storage of books and related materials. The university library will have capacity for storage of three million volumes in the facility.

The Penn Libraries Research Annex ("LIBRA") is a 50,000-square-foot facility designed for high-density storage of the University's Heritage Collection, accommodating up to three million volumes. The facility handles archiving, electronic data transmission, and automated storage and retrieval.

As library collections grow, housing them becomes a major challenge within fixed-size facilities that are difficult to expand. This expansion project doubles LIBRA's overall capacity. To maximize space efficiency, books are organized and stored by size rather than traditional cataloging systems. Utilizing 30-foot-tall storage racks, a rail-guided, man-aboard lift navigates directly to a book's location whenever a retrieval request is initiated.

Scope of work included facilities programming, equipment and storage system design, consultant coordination, full architectural and engineering services, and ongoing construction administration. Specialized engineering deliverables included archival-level HVAC controls, custom fire suppression, and super-flat concrete slab engineering for high-lift motorized systems.