Re: experienced movers

[Susan Green <sgreen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was the move coordinator for our library and would be happy to talk with
you about any of the details.  My email is jdavis2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jennifer Davis, Head of Technical Services, St. Ambrose University,
Davenport, Iowa 
(319) 333-6244

St. Ambrose University built a new library across the campus (about 2
blocks) which was completed early in January of 1996.  Our move was
originally planned as a somewhat leisurely after semester was over move, was
changed to move as fast as you can over spring break (March, 1996).  The
mandate was to be open and ready for business at 8:00am on Monday following
spring break.  Our library is an estimated 150,000 vol. plus special
collections and offices for 12 staff. 

We had three responses to our bid. (The bid was sent out in November, '95.)
Hallet movers was the only one within our time frame and our price (the bid
was actually about $5,000 lower than our available funds).  

Hallet has a moving procedure/plan/method that works.  The shelf labeling
system went without a hitch.  The preparation went smoothly for everything.
They hired about 40 of our students to do the physical labor, packing and
unpacking, at our request.  They started the official part of the move on
Monday at 7:00 am worked 12 hour days (2 shifts of students per day) and
were completed by Thursday at about 2:00 pm.  Basically once they start,
stand back and watch.

Hints for a successful move:   appoint one person at the 'move coordinator'
and give them the power/authority to tell everyone what they need to do when
and let them run the show.  Do early preparation, make sure the shelf feet
of books is measured so that you have enough space for the books in the
temporary storage areas.  

If there was a concern with Hallet, some of their preparation materials did
not arrive when they said they would -  part would arrive as expected, I
would call, the rest would arrive the next day.  This did not delay us, just
increased my anxiety level a very small notch.  







At 08:59 AM 4/11/97 EDT, you wrote:
>Dartmouth College Library is in the midst of two construction projects which
>will result in a new special collections building (Rauner Library) and an 
>extension onto the existing Baker Library which holds the humanities and social
>sciences.   This construction will require moving all of special collections
>and college archives from their current space into their new home at the Rauner
>Library AND moving 1/3 of the general collection to temporary space to make
>room for construction of the Berry addition.  What we are looking for are
>opinions about movers - who is good, who is bad, and what went right and wrong
>with the move.  Please send your thoughts directly to Phil Cronenwett (head of
>Special Collections) or me. 
>
>Phil can be contacted at:
>Phil.Cronenwett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>Thank you.
>
>Barb Sagraves
>Preservation Services Librarian
>barbara.sagraves@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Dartmouth College
>
>
>