Shelving Capacities
The number of volumes per linear foot can vary depending on the type of collection. Below is a sampling that you should find useful:
MATERIAL TYPE | VOLUMES PER LINEAR FOOT |
Picture books, Easy readers & Biographies | 20 |
Children’s Reference | 8 |
Children’s Fiction & Nonfiction | 13 |
Teen Hardcover | 12 |
Teen Paperbacks | 16 |
Local History | 8 |
Encyclopedia volumes | 6 |
General Reference | 6 |
Adult fiction & nonfiction | 10 |
Paperbacks | 16 |
DVDs | 30 |
CDs | 30 |
One of the most frequent questions librarians get these days is "aren't books going to disappear?" The reality of the situation is that print media is going to be around for the foreseeable future. Some collections, like Reference, have dwindled significantly; others are still growing with community size.
Every community is different, and local use must determine the size of the collection.
The following describes the calculation for linear feet of shelving. For the square footage you will need, including aisles, etc., see a resource such as Building Blocks for Planning Functional Library Space, found on our resources page.