Millions of books in the “Knowledge Repository”

The Vienna Book Repository, a major infrastructure project in support of Austria’s cultural heritage, was recently implemented in the Floridsdorf district of Vienna. Forster supplied all of the shelving and installed the system with a minimum amount of time.

Given the need for a protected and compact space to store the valuable stocks, Forster was commissioned to supply and instal a customised shelving system. This system had to meet stringent requirements: flexibility, long service life, maximum space utilisation and ease of use. We delivered a shelving system that has five kilometres of tracks and 2,000 mobile bases which contain about 150,000 shelve panels. The result is not just plenty of storage space on a relatively small floor space, but it also enables users to quickly and efficiently access their desired books. “Such dimensions are quite uncommon even for us,” declares project manager Jürgen Florian. “Planning and implementing a shelving system of this size in such short time was quite a challenge – but also a project that demonstrates the extent of what Forster can achieve.”

Ambitious schedule

The time frame was constricted: we had just nine weeks to instal the shelves. In this short time we set up all the bases and fitted their shelves and signs. We accomplished it, thanks not least to the excellent cross-teamwork of Forster.  All the relevant departments were involved in the project – from production to logistics to assembly. Components were shipped daily – on some days up to four lorry loads carrying system parts took to the road. Their arrival on the site carried further logistic challenges for the Forster team: after transporting the units to their location by an outdoor elevator, they were installed sector by sector in line with the ongoing construction process. The result is the latest in shelving systems which offers the best possible storage conditions for Austria’s national literary heritage.

Great cooperation

A project of this size also engenders challenges on the staff level, especially when the time schedule is so tight. It was thus very important to obtain the efficient support of work mates from other departments. In this context, we want to particularly praise the teams provided by the display and screen-printing departments, who rolled up their sleeves and tackled the job on hand, thereby contributing significantly to the successful completion of the project.

Shelves for generations

Thanks to their robust steel structure, high-quality powder-coating and low-maintenance technology, our archiving shelves meet the strictest criteria with regard to safety, stability and a long service life. Altogether, the repository accommodates 130,000 metres of shelving for books, of which 100,000 metres are dedicated to the University of Vienna. The remaining storage space is given over to the Vienna University of Technology, the Vienna University of Applied Arts, the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and GeoSphere Austria.

A project for perpetuity   

The new book repository is not just about creating more storage space. It also constitutes a long-term solution to ensure the safe storage of our cultural heritage. With its FOREG® shelving, Forster guarantees that spare parts will be available for decades after first installation.

The Vienna Book Repository holds Austria’s cultural heritage.