Preserving Archival Collections while Preserving the Environment: Has High-Density Storage Made SCUA More Energy Efficient?

Abstract

In 2016, Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) began moving collections from their stacks in Hornbake Library to high-density offsite storage at Severn Library. When Severn Library is at capacity, at least half of the Libraries' space will be dedicated to storing materials from SCUA. Our poster will outline how storing collections at Severn Library has affected SCUA's carbon footprint when compared with the energy consumption of onsite storage and how this change fits into wider campus goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2020 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We will use data provided by Sustainable UMD's energy dashboard and UMD Facilities Management to determine the energy consumption of each facility and determine whether moving collections to Severn has reduced our unit's energy consumption.