Brad Cave

Now this is Awesome! The new Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago has a huge underground book storage and automated robotic retrieval system. The underground facility is five stories deep and has a storage capacity of 3.5 million books. The books are stored in metal bins that fit into shelving that extends the entire depth of the facility. These shelves are serviced by 5 automated cranes that are 50 ft in height. These massive cranes can move with great precision and can retrieve any book in approximately 5 min. Another amazing ability of this library is that the storage facility is kept at 15.5°C and 30% relative humidity, this is done for preservation of the books and will allow them to be maintained for much longer than normal. Check out this video by the University of Chicago to see how it all works!