University of Georgia
Special Collections Library
Athens, Georgia
Client:
Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission
Project Size:
115,000 sq ft
Recognition:
LEED® certified
AGC Build Georgia Merit Award
This five-story, 115,000 sq ft facility consolidates the unique cultural and educational resources of the University of Georgia’s three special collections libraries, which were previously housed in the main library. The vault level of the new Special Collections Library is located approximately 40 feet below the main exhibit level and contains three individual high-density storage areas that are kept at 50 degrees and 30 percent relative humidity. The exhibit level contains exhibit spaces for each special collections library, a lecture hall, an event space, and a back-of-house area containing a conservation lab and processing area. The next level, the reading level, contains office spaces, classrooms, a break room area, a film preservation space, two rooms used by researchers to review historical documents, and the reading level vault, which contains the most valuable collections.