The Harvard Model and the Rise of Shared Storage Facilities

In recent years the design of depositories and the reasons for building them have changed. Harvard piloted the modern high-density storage facility in the mid-1980s. Since then the "Harvard Model" has become the design of choice for libraries planning the construction of storage facilities. High-density storage is now often included in the planning for a new library building. As budgets have decreased or become stagnant, libraries have turned to consortial relationships and partnerships in order to build and operate off-site depositories. Three examples are examined.