Storing knowledge for the future. 

When a lack of space became a common problem for the different central and university libraries in Switzerland, they decided to work together to find a solution: and so the Speicherbibliothek was born.

Back in 2005, the Lucerne Central and University Library (ZHB) began a thorough and detailed evaluation of different storage solutions to find the most effective and economical option for conserving library stock. Two years later, it was decided on the basis of this evaluation that the best option was to create an automated high-bay warehouse with an inerting system located outside the city center. The working group saw that there were huge benefits to be gained in the different libraries working together.

The Kooperative Speicherbibliothek Schweiz (Swiss collective storage center for affiliated libraries) finally opened in January 2016. 

• The Kooperative Speicherbibliothek is a partly-automated high-bay warehouse in Büron (Lucerne) that can be extended modularly to meet capacity. The first stage of development saw the creation of a module for 3.1 million volumes. The final extension to the building, which is earthquake-proof, will have enough capacity for 14 million volumes.
• Innovative design: The first and to date only book depository in Switzerland provides an optimum storage climate and expertly-designed protection even for the most fragile stock.
• Using the depository and delivery service: The final relocation of holdings will not change how our readers use the library. Users will continue to request materials online. Requests placed will be processed in the collective storage center by the warehouse management system and fulfilled by a high-bay retrieval unit. A courier service delivers items to the selected library locations, such as the ZHB Uni/PH Building, up to twice a day.