McGill University’s New AutoStore Storing 2 Millions Books
The McGill University Collections Centre is one of the more interesting non-traditional deployments of the AutoStore™ cube-based automated storage and retrieval goods-to-person solution. Instead of supporting high-throughput retail fulfillment, the cube system was designed for ultra-dense archival storage and retrieval of approximately 2.4 million library items inside a climate-controlled preservation facility. Autonomous robots travel across the grid to retrieve storage bins containing books requested through the university library network, demonstrating how AutoStore’s robotic cube storage model can be smartly adapted far beyond conventional warehouse operations.From an automation perspective, the project highlights how cube-based ASRS systems can used as generalized high-density robotic storage infrastructure rather than purely e-commerce fulfillment platforms. The McGill application prioritizes storage density, retrieval accuracy, inventory preservation, and long-term scalability over traditional warehouse KPIs such as picks per hour.
