Minnesota Library Access Center (MLAC)

Location

222 21st Ave S University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States
44° 58' 23.4012" N, 93° 14' 34.854" W
See map: Google Maps

MLAC is a is a high density storage facility for important but little used items owned by Minnesota libraries. MLAC is located in one of two caverns located 85 feet under the Andersen Library on the West Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota. It's temperature is a constant 60° (+/- 2.5°) with a constant relative humidity of 50% (+/- 4%), ideal for the long term storage of books.

MLAC
The MLAC caverns span 600 feet beneath the University of Minnesota's West Bank campus.

Construction involved mining caverns and tunnels into easily excavated St. Peter Sandstone along the Mississippi River, with a total footprint of 106,000 square feet and an excavated volume of 100,000 cubic yards. Each of the two caverns is 600 feet long, 25 feet high, and 70 feet wide with an overhead limestone roof.

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The striking interstitial spaces have curved walls for structural strength. Construction of the 50-foot-high curved portal which provides a 42-foot-wide drive-in entrance for vehicles as large as semi-trailer trucks Books are shelved and retrieved from the 17-foot-high shelving via forklift.

Unlike a library which shelves items either by subject, MLAC shelves items by size with the goal of shelving at the highest density possible to maximize space usage. It currently holds over 1,360,000 volumes. The collection is closed to the public; because the facility's shelves are 17 feet tall, books are retrieved by trained staff on forklifts. However, all items in MLAC are listed in the U of MN's online library catalog and may be requested via interlibrary loan from any participating library in Minnesota.

Learn more:

Meet in the first floor atrium of the Anderson Library as it is the most obvious part of the building. (Anderson Library is the above ground portion of MLAC.) The Library is located at 222 21st Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455 on the University of Minnesota West Bank campus.

Driving and parking information is available at www.lib.umn.edu/andersen/visitor-information. Unfortunately that page doesn't yet include light rail information; but the Green Line has a West Bank Stop about a block a way. Riders can cross to the north side of Washington, head towards the river, and enter through the lower level of Wiley Hall.

Free and online access to the information you need!

The many resources available, free of charge, to Minnesota residents and brought to you by Minitex.

MnKnows

A portal to all of the following online library services in Minnesota:

MnLINK

A statewide online library catalog that allows you to search the holdings of multiple library systems and online databases in one search. Once you find what you need, you an also place a request for an interlibrary loan: Requested books will be delivered to your local library while articles are delivered electronically to your inbox. MnLink also searches the Electronic Library for Minnesota:

Electronic Library for Minnesota

Online access to magazine, journal, newspaper, and encyclopedia articles, eBooks, and more. ELM can be accessed via MnLINK or at your library.

Research Project Calculator

Web-based tool for creating a timeline for completing projects and assignments by their deadlines. Helps you stay on track with email reminders. Can be used for essays, oral presentations, videos, research projects, etc. Teacher support materials let educators set goals, ensure that students have the necessary information and technical skills and that the necessary resources are available, manage the timeline, and evaluate the products. Exercises, tip sheets, guiding questions, and help with state standards.

Minnesota Digital Library

A state-wide digital library collaboration of over 160 cultural heritage organizations, MDL supports the digitization of significant Minnesota collections for greater access and preservation.

Minnesota Reflections

Digitized material from Minnesota's leading cultural heritage organizations — photographs, diaries and journals, maps and atlases, postcards, oral histories, newsletters, government documents, short films and videos.

AskMN

An online service for information and research help: get real-time help from a real librarian on any topic or information need now! You will be connected with an experienced librarian usually in about one minute.

website: 
http://www.minitex.umn.edu/Storage/