Ants can carry 8.78 times their body mass.  

Can (should) you do the same with library collections?  

Image of  Leaf-cutter ants at Playa Blanca, Cahuita, Costa Rica, by Hans Hillewaert 

Luck has nothing to do with safe transport of library collections.  Brute strength isn’t available to everyone.  

Good information, planning, teamwork, and the right equipment can get the job done safely.  

We hope you’ll be transported with delight by these resources that were created specifically for the Harvard Library community:  

• Video of Bin Packing Guidance for Staff: step-by step instructions for how to pack library books safely into hinged-lid bins 

• Exhibition and Loans, Guidelines for Transport and Packing: comprehensive packing and transport guidelines that also work for non-exhibition/loan scenarios as well (i.e., transporting something to Imaging Services)  

• Transport of Oversized Materials (HUID login): planning guide with procedures, forms, equipment, expertise, and juicy stories to help you move large, flat, awkward items around campus  

 Want help with transport issues?   

Reach out to preservation librarian Priscilla Anderson.