Closed Week by the numbers

Each year the Library closes for a week to allow staff to work on projects that could be disruptive to our readers during normal open hours. This year our stocktaking activities included a full tidying of all open access collections and a search of every nook and cranny for missing books. Though we do try to keep the Library tidy throughout the year, Closed Week allows the entire staff to work collectively to ensure your research materials are available where and when you need them.

Improvements to the physical environment included French polishing of the woodwork in the Reading Room and Gallery, cleaning of the air vents, fitting of magnetic door holdbacks for fire safety, and a reorganisation of the Gallery Annexe to make books easier to find on the shelves. The recently acquired quartet of paintings by Frederick Cayley Robinson were also expertly cleaned and repaired.

A final tally of Closed Week 2009:

7500 staples removed from Archives
6000 open access shelves tidied
1000 books relabelled
813 books searched for across four floors
810 books reclassified
720 shelves of Rare Books checked
600 archive collections checked
405 Archive boxes file checked
380 Rare Books tied
250 Drawings foldered
240 drawers of prints and drawings content listed
200 Rare Books assigned shelf numbers
160 Shelves of Rare Books flagged
150 files of Archives repackaged
107 Rare Books put back in sequence
90 books first aided
54 lost books found
50 fire marshals refreshed
6 missing Rare Books found
5.6 miles of open access books moved
4 Cayley Robinsons repaired