Purpose: This new building will provide public access to and archival storage for materials chronicling the history of the Church from its beginnings in the early 1800s to the present day.
Location: The corner of North Temple Street and Main Street in Salt Lake City (replaces the facility currently located in the east wing of the Church Office Building)
Opening: Summer 2009
Size: 230,000 square feet on five floors
Collections:
- 270,000 books, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers and other published items
- 240,000 collections of original, unpublished records (journals, diaries, correspondence, minutes and similar)
- 23,000 audiovisual items
- 13,000 collections of photographs
- 3.5 million patriarchal blessings for Church members
Access: The public will be able to access some historical materials in a large open library area, while other materials will be located in archival storage rooms and brought to a reading room upon patron request.
Hours: The Church History Library will offer extended hours of operation for the public. The exact times have not yet been determined.
Operations: The building will provide work space for Church History staff responsible for research, publications, historic sites, conservation, collections development and Web content.
Storage:
- 10 main storage rooms that will be kept at 55 degrees Fahrenheit with 35 percent relative humidity
- Two special rooms that will be kept at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit for color motion-picture films, photographs and records of special significance
Architect: MHTN
Contractor: Jacobsen/Swinerton
Tours: Public open houses will be held when the building is finished in 2009.
More Information: For further information about the Church History Library, please visit www.lds.org/churchhistory