The Leviathan: How to Move 2.9 Million Government Documents Offsite

Abstract

The concept of moving a university’s historic, 2.9 million item government documents collection offsite was daunting. The actual move of the collection took 24 months. In this move, much was learned about developing a project management plan, including: consult the literature early, anticipate confusion points within the collection, discuss wear-and-tear issues, and understand the effect the move would have on service. The final move required 31 working days over five months of shifting. Afterward, it was found that the repercussions of a move – especially on staff and reference work – can often be more jarring than the move itself.