The first year in a new building can be almost as stressful as the time leading up to the move. No new building is free from flaws, and there will be a number of construction mistakes to deal with. Also, only when the building is functioning will staff find out how people really use it, and the best laid plans can be thwarted by the flow of the new building dynamics. So this must be built into the planning and budget process.

Handover

This is a formal procedure in which the building is explained to the client who then takes on full ownership and responsibility for its management.

Moving in

The move itself needs to be planned – possibly phased – and staff need to be given an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the building and the equipment.

The first few months in a new building are by far the most testing. All kinds of unexpected problems can occur. This is normal and the librarian and others involved should not be too hard on themselves.

Even if construction has been uneventful and the building is on schedule, it might be advisable to delay moving in valuable material or archival collections, so the environment can settle.

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