Redefining the Library: Optimizing Space for New Uses in a Sustainable Manner

The Public University of Navarre (UPNA) has undertaken a profound transformation of its library, driven by changes in learning methods and the rise of digital technologies.

Under the leadership of its director, Carmen Echeverría, a smart redistribution of spaces has been implemented, relocating less frequently consulted collections to the archive and freeing up usable area for new purposes.

The installation of 620 mobile shelving systems, carried out in several phases to facilitate organizational planning, has enabled maximum optimisation of storage capacity, gaining linear meters and adding flexibility to the project.

  • Although it was not possible to reuse the existing shelving in this case, there is the option to transfer them to the archive along with the collections and, with minimal modification—incorporating mobile bases and optionally electronic components—to achieve the same result, thereby leveraging the initial investment.

Thanks to the efficient management of UPNA’s physical holdings, the library now features collaborative zones, maker spaces equipped with 3D technology, a rockoteca, and social areas that respond to students’ real needs.

 

 

The UPNA model exemplifies how storage solutions can contribute to the evolution of academic spaces towards open, flexible, and technological environments without compromising efficient knowledge preservation.

Moreover, with new technologies and the digital management solutions that can be integrated via EUN Logic, these projects can expand further and enable real-time control of all their collections.

 

 

We also recall other innovative library projects where user flexibility and autonomy are priorities: