Facilities for appropriately storage of rare volumes
The central library of Niigata University was renovated and reopened in April 2013. The number of visitors doubled after the reopening, exceeding a million in just a year. The library has drawn widespread attention both inside and outside the university.
Features of the renovated facility
The new building has an expanded learning commons area. The rare volumes room and research room for rare volumes were special features of the previous building. Rare volumes were stored in the same manner as other volumes.
The new central library has established criteria for the storage and handling of rare volumes such as ancient documents, domestic classics, and foreign classics.
There are currently around 9,500 ancient documents and examples of classical writing in the library, including the Hori documents, which are registered as an Important Cultural Property by the prefecture.
Challenges
A layer of air is included in the walls and ceiling to maintain stable temperature and humidity. The doors are also fireproof, and the ceilings and walls are made of materials that adjust to humidity and absorb acidity and alkalinity.
To provide a facility resistant to gas fires, the steel substrate materials in the interior walls were specially reinforced based on discussions with the fire department. The typical pressure resistance of interior walls is 250 hPa, but those in the library are resistant to 350 hPa. This is one of the highest levels of reinforcement in rare volumes rooms in the libraries of Japan’s national universities.
In addition, the space has an information panel with an illustration of its structure. Visitors and anybody who walks in the front door can see this and understand how rare books are stored.
Utilization
The research room for rare volumes has a display case for rare books and documents, with exhibits changing every three months.
The department of literature holds classes in the research room to teach ancient and classical literature. Books and documents can be spread on the flooring, which is made of traditional Japanese tatami (mats made of rice straw). In this way, students can learn about the history of literature in a grass-scented room.
Address: 8050 Ninomachi Igarashi Nishi-ku Niigata-shi
Opening hours: M-F 8:30-22:00 S 10:00-22:00
URL: http://www.lib.niigata-u.ac.jp
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