Library Bookcase is Taken Apart for Move

The bookcase in the Old Capitol library is actually a set of five sections that have been fastened together and to the wall behind them. In order to prepare the bookcases (on left) for moving, they first had to be emptied and separated. Having been together without disturbance for 25 years this proved to be a difficult task. After the bookcases had been emptied of the 543 original books that they held, the shelves had to be taken out. In the photo on the right workmen are carefully removing the supports that held the shelves in place. Having the bookcase completely emptied, the workmen had to then study the unique way in which it was connected to form one solid piece. As mentioned earlier the bookcase is actually a set of five bookcases joined together. In addition, there are also pieces of trim which hold the bookcase together as a unit. The first major step in taking apart the bookcase was to carefully remove the molding at the top. This trim was found to be a late addition to the bookcases. It was most likely added to improve the overall stability of the bookcase, and for cosmetic reasons. It had to be removed because it spanned the entire width of the bookcase without breaks in between the five sections. The photo to the left shows a worker removing a section of the molding. The molding was constructed in layers, and each one had to be removed separately. The molding was fasten to the bookcases with wood glue and small nails. The photo to the right shows the long strips that were used in constructing the molding. Every strip had to be removed in one piece for reuse. Here you can see another, larger strip of the molding being removed. Again, with extreme care as to not damage the piece or the bookcases. Upon further examination of the bookcases it was found that the five sections had been fastened together with screws on the inside of the shelves. These screws were a late addition to the bookcases. Most likely, they were added during the 1970s restoration of Old Capitol to provide more stability. After the screws were removed from the bookcases, they were able to be separated. Here movers are carefully pulling out the first section to be placed into the moving truck. Here you can more closely see how the bookcases were joined together. Each was connected directly to the one adjacent to it. The bookcases fit together in a sort of puzzle-like fashion. In this photo the far right bookcase is being separated. The movers choose to remove the bookcases on the ends first. Another view of the joint between two of the bookcases. Before the bookcases were able to be moved to the truck for transportation to storage, they were covered with large blankets to prevent damage. They were then covered with tarps and large rubber bands were placed around them to hold the padding in place. The bookcases were lifted by two of the workers and loaded in the truck. This picture again shows the workers carrying a bookcase to the truck. The front entrance (east door) to Old Capitol was used for loading. Into the truck! The furniture was loaded into large (semi) trucks to be moved to the artifact storage. Here the next bookcase is being covered with padding for the transport. Number two ready to be loaded! In this photo you can more clearly see the rubber bands that were used to secure the padding. The rubber bands also served as a source of stability protecting the doors from opening during transit. This shows the final three bookcases prior to being separated for the move. Note the thin piece of wood behind them on the wall. This was used to anchor the bookcases to the wall as a precaution to prevent the bookcases from falling forward. The last door of the last bookcase is locked to prevent it from swinging open during transit. The last bookcases were then covered and moved to the truck as were the first two. The bookcases will remain in storage until they can be returned to the building following the recovery and rebuilding.
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