The Phoenix Central Library opened after seven years of planning and $28 million in construction alone. The new library occupies over 280,000 square feet (double the size of the old library) with enough room to accommodate more than one million books.
An ISDA network partner, with its cantilever shelving solutions, was chosen by the Council of the City of Phoenix to furnish the new library. Our network partner was able to meet the rigid specifications of the bid and provided samples which helped the architect achieve the environment and functionality the library required.
The shelves were designed with overhanging lights that illuminate all the books – even those displayed on the bottom shelf. Our ISDA network partner installed 61,000 shelves in the library – the equivalent
of 35 miles of bookshelves when laid end to end!
Samples of old, odd-sized shelves were sent for exact dimension in order to customize the welded frames and base shelves. Perforated, curved end panels, in silver metallic epoxy, allowed light to permeate the row-end which added dimension to the book stacks.
With almost 100 sections of cantilever shelving, all the magazines and other reference materials are presented in an organized and highly serviceable manner. As with the book shelves, the special lighting arms illuminate the bottom row as effectively as the top row.
The 15° sloped shelf end brackets allows the books, not the brackets, to be more visible. The 12,000+ heavy-spring wire book supports simply attach to the underside of the shelf and are easily adjustable.
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