The Big Move

The big book move actually began Friday, July 20 when Debbie Musser from Hallett Movers and two assistants spent the day measuring and tagging the collection. After she measured the collection and counted the shelves, we agreed to fill six shelves in each section leaving the top shelf empty. With 25 inches of books on each 36-inch shelf, we would fill the entire north wing with the circulating book collection. The workers put a consecutively numbered sticker on each shelf. They then put the same consecutively numbered stickers on the books at 25 inch intervals. The collection was then ready for "the big move", matching the each book with a sticker on the destination shelf with the same numbered sticker.

On July 23rd, the Hallett Movers truck arrived with containers for the books (missiles), sheets of corrugated cardboard to divide layers of books, and dollies, four wheel carts on which to roll the dollies. Blue protective cardboard was taped on the doors, walls and service desk in the new building to protect from scratches. Nine temporary workers (AMBS students, alumni, and children of employees) loaded the missiles and rolled them into the new library for unloading. The morning shift worked from 7 a.m. to noon. The afternoon brought 7 more workers from 1 to 6 p.m. Blake Hallett, Debbie's nephew worked both shifts each day, setting the pace for the other workers.

By the end of the first day, the old reading room was almost emptied and those books were shelved in the north wing of the new library. By the end of the second day, the Conference Room and the Witmarsum Room were emptied. Books fill the north wing of the new library from west to east.

We expect to complete the job on Wednesday. Stay tuned.....