A green approach to reducing library storage costs

Purpose:   The Bodleian Libraries opened a new high-density storage depository in the form of a warehouse in 2010. It is similar to the warehouses at Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities. The cost of maintaining the... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose:  

The Bodleian Libraries opened a new high-density storage depository in the form of a warehouse in 2010. It is similar to the warehouses at Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities. The cost of maintaining the environment was expensive and an alternative was sought for the energy intense model of conserving materials.

Design, methodology or approach:

A series of incremental experiments with the Building Management System (the software that manages the environment in a building) of the Bodleian Libraries large storage depository was conducted between 2012 and 2016. The research methodology was that of action research. This involved the collaboration of consultant engineers, conservators, and the author of this paper as joint co-ordinator of the group. Each experiment was conducted in an agreed sequence with the option of a senior library manager (myself) being able to cancel any experiment if there was any concern about the temperature or the humidity levels.

One of the experiments involved switching off the machinery that heats and chills the environment between 16:30 and 19:00. This was the most expensive electricity charging period where costs are 872% higher. It proved successful with no adverse effect on the environment.

Findings:

The experiments resulted in significantly reducing the amount of energy required to maintain the temperature and relative humidity for the preservation of the books. It produced the following savings:

1. A saving of £90k per annum in utilities costs;

2. A reduction of 412 tonnes of carbon;

3. A reduction of 283k Kilowatt Hours in electricity per annum.

Research or practical limitations or implications:

Library, conservation, and facilities management professionals tend to focus on the results of environment management in large library depositories (i.e., the consistency of temperature and humidity levels) rather than outcomes (i.e., how much energy is required to achieve that consistent temperature and humidity). Working towards a more green and cost effective alternative to conventional depository environment management, therefore, requires a radically different use of measurement methods.

Conclusions:

The use of measurement methods in the preservation care of library material requires a more sophisticated approach than simply measuring temperature and humidity. Collating and analysing data on the environment management will inform which parts of system are using the most energy and could be subjected to experimentation to make them operate efficiently.

It is also important to continuously ask probing questions about how the environment management system works even though the questioner is not an engineering professional.

Originality and value:

The experiments at the Bodleian Libraries storage depository have been acknowledged within the University of Oxford as best practice for other buildings in the University. In November 2016 this work was recognised at the Green Gown Awards which identify exceptional sustainability initiatives in universities and colleges. The University of Oxford was the winner under the category of carbon reduction.