Library-style bookshelves?

July 10, 2005 7:46 AM

Source for library-style enamelled-metal bookshelves (or equivalent)?

(Wow – long-time listener, first-time caller.)

For a spare room and a recess in a wall in another room, I'm thinking that library-style bookshelves would be perfect. They're simply shelves of enamelled steel, angled down somewhat at the back, that screw on to the wall. They don't quite look industrial but are not in any way pretty, and I'm OK with that.

The problem is locating the darned things. I've Googled for library-supply companies and the like, to little avail. Canadian sources are preferable.

Alternatively, what is another technology you would suggest for bookshelves in which each individual shelf is affixed to the wall, so as to provide height variation at will?

posted by joeclark to home & garden (6 comments total)

Office surplus stores are perfect for things like that. If you're in Montreal there's a great store near the corner of Ontario and St-Laurent that caters to that sort of thing.
posted by furtive at 8:05 AM on July 10, 2005

There are always people selling library shelving in the back pages of American Libraries magazine which is a trade magazine for the American Library Association. I don't have a copy handy, but if you run out of ideas, drop me a note and I'll find a copy.

The shelving you describe is not what I think of when I think of library shelving, since I usually think of that as being freestanding metal rack type things. Just an FYI since you may be talking to library vendors. That said, you can search through the list of exhibitors from the CLA conference and keyword search for shelving and you should have some good Canadian sources.

The sort of shelving you describe is also something you could rig up pretty easily in a DIY fashion at Home Depot, something along these lines and then you can make the actual shelves metal, wood, or whatever you want.
posted by jessamyn at 8:16 AM on July 10, 2005

Gaylord and Brodart are two popular library vendors.
posted by box at 9:47 AM on July 10, 2005

As are Demco and Highsmith.
posted by stet at 11:04 AM on July 10, 2005

These folks have a large variety. I bought from them a couple years ago for a work-related project.
posted by klarck at 1:28 PM on July 10, 2005

You can get surplus ones here, not a bad price, but I don't know what shipping from CA would be.

Ikea also has some heavy duty shelve brackets, just add some plywood.
posted by Marky at 1:28 PM on July 10, 2005