Desarmar para volver a armar: recomendaciones para trasladar una biblioteca

Through the following text we intend to provide some practical advice to carry out the complex task of moving a library. These recommendations arise from the experiences lived towards the end of 2018, during the transfer, due to building remodeling, of the 25,000 documents that make up the bibliographic collection of the library of the FASTA University (Fraternity of St. Thomas Aquinas groups) of Mar del Plata. Our intention is to share with the library community all the data collected, materials used, images recorded and forms designed throughout the whole process of the move, so that they may be useful at the time of starting a similar task. The move was divided into four stages, where all the actions that integrate them have had the fundamental purpose of preserving the collection and promptly resuming the usual services. These stages are: 1) the planning and calculation of the materials; 2) cleaning of the books and shelves; 3) the packing of documents, furniture and equipment; 4) relocation of the collections. In addition, we have included a section on the occupational health and safety of all the personnel involved in and responsible for the various tasks involved in the move. The recommendations and precautions that were taken into account when handling the tools and the bibliographic collections are developed throughout all the stages of the move. Finally, we share the graphic images and digital publications that we used to disseminate and inform the entire educational community about the important changes in the services during the move, through the different channels of the library and the institution.