----------------------------Original message----------------------------
 
Oh, wouldn't it be nice if we could all hold ourselves to "standards"
established in 1961? Quite frankly, these are totally out of date and, in
this world of constricting budgets, totally out of line with reality in
most institutions regardless of their size.This small institution in the
Northeast has map cases in the four high range with a few at five high in
the back of our stacks. As many have mentioned it is important to have an
engineering study done to evaluate exactly what you can or cannot do in the
safety range.
 
I believe that map libraries must look to remote storage of certain items
if their library is contructing such a facility. Fortunately for us we have
a large facility ca. 25 miles away with twice daily delivery and we are
transfering a large amount of our nautical chart collection to this Harvard
Depository.
 
On the other hand, if your floor will meet engineering standards, I have
always felt that there is wasted space between the tops of cases and the
ceilings! Obviously, this only refers to restricted storage areas and
should be restricted to areas that have special ladders for retrieval.
There are going to be considerable amounts of maps coming to our
collections in the future, whether by deposit or acquisition, and most map
libraries should begin to plan for such alternatives.
 
David Cobb
 
 
 
At 04:56 PM 5/19/98 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>The three high map case height as maximum has frequently been inferred
>from several statements of Catherine Bahn's in her article "Map
>Libraries--Space and Equipment".  Approximately half way through she
>discusses "Careful planning of the arrangement of equipment should be a
>prerequisite to the actual assignment of space....Three large,
>fixed-drawer sections will hold a maximum of 3000 maps and provide work
>space on the top to handle maps for processing or examination."  In the
>next paragraph she states, "Many of the map libraries are now crowded
>into limited space with narrow aisles and overloaded map cases piled
>four to six high, which makes for inefficient filing and retrieval of
>maps."  This article was published in the SLA Geography and Map Division
>Bulletin No.46 1961 p.3-17.  It was republished in Drazniowsky's Map
>Librarianship:Readings.  If you are looking at his book, the quote is on
>page 369.  The article was latter updated by Mary Galneder but I have
>been unable to check to see if she expands on the topic.
>
>Hope this is helpful.  I have used these statements in combination with
>the weight restrictions from her article to persuade my administration
>on several occasions not to exceed the three high maximum.  It has also
>been helpful for me to mention how it could be unsafe for one of our
>students of average height to try to refile bulky maps from a step
>ladder when cases are stacked any higher.
>
>Helen
>
>
>> ----------
>> From:         ahudson[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>> Reply To:     Maps and Air Photo Systems Forum
>> Sent:         Monday, May 18, 1998 4:03 PM
>> To:   [log in to unmask]
>> Subject:      how high the map cases
>>
>> ----------------------------Original
>> message----------------------------
>>
>>      Thanks everyone for your responses...
>>
>>      I need to rescue my ancient "space planning" folders from the Map
>>      Division archives, and perhaps will find a clue there. If I find
>> this
>>      mythical statement on national standards, I will post it.
>>
>>      Alice H.
>>
>
>---------------------------------------------
>
>
>HelenJane Armstrong, PhD
>Head, Map & Imagery Library
>George A. Smathers Library
>University of Florida
>PO Box 117011
>Gainesville, Florida 32611-7011
>EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
>* * * End of File * * *
>
>
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David A. Cobb                                   E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Harvard Map Collection                          HTTP://icg.harvard.edu/~maps
Harvard University                              Tel: (617) 495-2417
Cambridge, MA 02138                             FAX: (617) 496-0440
                           VE * RI * TAS
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