The Joint Library Facility (JLF) on the Texas A&M RELLIS Campus was a collaborative effort between the University of Texas and Texas A&M University Systems, constructed in 2013. The facility serves as a controlled storage space for research materials from both university systems, ensuring the preservation of print materials until digital technology and copyright restrictions allow for scanning. The original 16,000 SF facility (Module 1) houses over 480,000 items, with the potential to store up to 1 million volumes.

To keep pace with the growing collection, Module 2 was constructed, adding 12,195 SF of library stack space. The construction mirrored the existing facility, using insulated load-bearing tilt-up concrete walls, steel framing for roof support, and a reinforced foundation system with cast-in-place concrete slabs. The design also included improvements in maneuverability and safety by adding a protective guardrail system for the stack units.

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WestEast is now working on the final phase, Module 3, which will add 12,000 SF of high-bay stack space and 2,000 SF of general storage to further expand the JLF’s capacity. This expansion ensures the facility will continue to meet the long-term storage needs of both university systems, providing essential preservation for research materials while maintaining structural and operational continuity with the existing buildings

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