Prospectus

About the Alliance

Library Storage

Images

Building on a history of collaborative success, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is poised to create a new private-public partnership serving northwest academic libraries.  The Alliance proposes to create a Regional Library Services Center featuring high-density shelving for selected library collections.  Each shelving module will be designed to house two million volumes, with an eventual build out expected to accommodate at least eight million volumes.  This facility will employ electronic delivery technology, offer fast retrieval of print originals, and provide excellent environmental conditions for the long-term preservation of collections.  Inspired by the Harvard Depository Model, in use by more than two dozen similar facilities, the Regional Library Services Center will provide the most economical means for member libraries to accommodate growth in collections and make the best use of scarce space in campus libraries.  

Beyond housing collections, the Orbis Cascade Alliance envisions a shared facility that will support current consortium services and allow for the development of a wide array of new collaborative initiatives including digitizing & preservation, data archiving, and emergency response services.

www.orbiscascade.org/rlsc/