The first year in a new building can be almost as stressful as the timeleading up to the move. No new building is free from flaws, and there willbe a number of construction snags to resolve. Also, only when the buildingis functioning will staff find out how people really use it, and the bestlaid plans can be thwarted by the flow of the new building dynamics. Soongoing evaluation must be built into the planning and budget process.

Handover and moving in

The handover of the building is a formal procedure in which the building isexplained to the client, who then takes on full ownership and responsibilityfor its management.

The move itself needs to be planned – possibly phased – andstaff need to be given an opportunity to familiarise themselves with thebuilding and the equipment.

The first few months in a new building are by far the most testing. All kindsof unexpected problems can occur. This is normal and the librarian andothers involved should not be too hard on themselves. Even if constructionhas been uneventful and the building is on schedule, it might be advisableto delay moving in valuable material or archival collections, so that theenvironment can settle.

When the building is handed over to the client, many systems need to betested in normal use, such as lifts, lights, security systems, heating,plumbing and drainage. As equipment starts to be used, the system needsbalancing until everything works as planned. This is quite usual in theearly days. Although many systems will need to be tested and fine-tuned,some, like heating and ventilation systems, may need a full cycle of useover a whole year in order to be fully tested.