Moving 2 km of books

The library holds a staggering 2 kilometres of books, archives and documentation. Or 100 tonnes of paper. Moving such a vast volume is easier said than done. Before you can start moving everything, you need to know precisely where which/each book is and where it should go. But before this can happen, each book is subjected to various treatments. This tricky operation involved years of preparation.

Every cabinet was opened, and every item was carefully checked. The most fragile books were covered in acid-free paper to strengthen the original covers and better protect the book from outside influences. Loose items were registered, organised and repackaged. The entire collection was cleaned. We used a special museum vacuum cleaner and soft make-up brushes to dust the collection and checked it for traces of mould and vermin. During this process, the largest books were placed on a soft cushion to ensure optimal protection of the spine and prevent it from breaking. Any items on which mould spores were detected were immediately isolated from the rest and treated separately.

The moving plans are ready. The building has been completed, and the depots have been cleaned. All the shelves have been clicked into place... Let’s go! Now comes the most crucial phase: moving all the books, archives and documentation from one building to another. Together with a specialised firm, we will be moving more than 100,000 items: 1,400 metres of loose publications and approximately 600 metres of collections in archive boxes. In the next three weeks, trucks will drive to and fro while movers work tirelessly to move everything to the new library. Each collection item, whether it is transported in locked crates or on trolleys, will thus end up in its intended location.

In the new library, part of the collection will be kept on open shelves. That way, you can explore the books and documentation on artists or themes from 17th-century Flanders at your own pace. A goldmine for anyone who loves art (history). More fragile publications are stored in the depots. They are divided by theme as well as by size. Neatly stored according to the most stringent climate conditions but easy to access. All these valuable works will thus continue to play a role in the research into the life and work of Rubens and his contemporaries for many centuries to come.