Iron Mountain Library Services – Innovative collection management solutions

Solution Guides

Whether you're at the helm of a research library or a treasured local hub, you are faced with the challenge of balancing the evolving needs of your patrons while ensuring the protection of and access to your collections.

October 27, 20234 mins

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Whether leading a research library or managing a treasured public library branch, you face the challenge of balancing your library and its patrons’ evolving needs, all while ensuring that your collections are protected and available. In addition to the traditional demand to create new spaces to support dynamic learning, social interaction, and collaboration, there is also an immediate need to foster spaces that encourage social distancing.

These demands put pressure on your limited library real estate and reduce available floor space for your valuable collections.

Investing in a library project calls for thoughtful consideration and careful planning to ensure you get the most out of your budget. You need a partner who has the experience and resources to help you think through your options and develop a plan that meets your institution’s goals.

You’ll benefit from working with experts who understand your unique requirements, including:

Preparing and inventorying collections for relocation
Reducing stack space for your collections
Digitizing special collections and unique content
Changing the way you provide services to your patrons

Featured services & solutions

Library and archives

Manage your collection through its next evolution, guided by our library experts

Document scanning and digital storage

Transform your business and centralize your information with digital scanning and storage

Records Storage

Preserve your important records with highly secure and compliant offsite storage

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Today’s evolving library

Plan

Develop a plan to manage collections through a library transformation.

Relocate

Free up space by relocating collections out of the library.

Shift

Make better use of your space and provide better access by shifting collections within the library.

Temporarily vacate

Relocate collections to a temporary space when completely renovating your library, replacing HVAC, completing a seismic retrofit, or updating your floor plans.

Protect

Relocate archival collections to ensure they have the physical and environmental security they need.

Digitize

Protect special collections and make them more accessible by creating digital surrogates.

Scale

Execute projects with temporary expert staff from your geographic area.

Securely transport

Protect your shared collections as they are transferred between buildings and institutions.

Manage art

Reimagine your library space with new or reinstalled art collections.

Outsource storage

Choose the optimum storage environment, and provide next day access to collections that are stored offsite.

Capitalize on opportunity

Accept the next special collection donation even though you don’t have the room to receive and process it today.

Respond quickly to disaster

Move quickly when the unexpected happens to protect your collections.

Iron Mountain Library Services

Innovative and scalable collection solutions for libraries, archives, and special collections

The Iron Mountain Library Services team of subject matter experts (SMEs) are professional librarians and archivists, and they work hand in hand with you to develop customized solutions. They will work with you to ensure you fully understand the options that work best for your library or archive. You’ll benefit from Iron Mountain’s deep knowledge of how to properly care for materials—including monographs, special collections, bound journals, microform, multimedia, art, artifacts, and more. We’ll help to ensure your items are protected and accessible so that you can continue to service your community.

How we can help

Planning and scoping
Expert librarians and archivists provide consulting on how to best manage your collections throughout your transformation and will tailor the solution to the needs of your organization.
Collection move readiness
From preparation, stabilization and boxing of materials, to inventory analysis, our experts work with you to develop relocation preparation that is strategic, cost-effective, and appropriate—all of which ensure that collections will be protected and accessible when moved.
Relocation and collection shifting services
These services are tailored to the needs of your library or archive. Specialized workflows and handling are paired with Iron Mountain’s secure chain of custody to deliver solutions at any scale. You will be confident knowing that your collections are being handled with care by trained staff who understand maintaining collection order and library classification.
Storage and access
Solutions are available for all types of collections and institutional needs. From circulating collections to the most valuable special collections, you will have access to temporary swing space or long-term storage in a variety of environmental configurations. Circulation back to the library can be made seamless to your librarians and patrons with either integration options with your ILS or collection management software.
Archival digitization
Specialized handling, workflow, and digitization capabilities provide institutions with a new option for processing and imaging select materials or entire collections at scale, while adhering to the strictest archival standards, including complying with FADGI guidelines.
Media digitization
From modern standard media types to lesser known, rarely used formats, Iron Mountain Entertainment Services supports the digitization of all of your media. Our labs feature industry veterans who are highly trained in preservation and digitization techniques to ensure you get the protection you need through the digitization process. Our expert systems enable you to examine your collections using artificial intelligence, while they are protected on our Iron Cloud.
Fine art relocation and storage
Specialty fine art services are provided through our sister business, Crozier Fine Arts. You will have the technical expertise, tools, and storage to manage art and artifacts of all sizes.
Secure logistics
Efficient and secure transportation programs are available for collections of all sizes — whether it be for a single move or for regular repeat shipments.
Outsourced labor
Augment your staff with resources you can trust to ensure projects get done right. Whether you are looking for regular project labor or skilled librarians. Iron Mountain can provide you with the staffing you need to complete your project.