According to Steven J. Herman, the Library of Congress' project manager for the Fort Meade, MD book storage archival facility, "Providing the best possible environmental conditions for the library's collections is critical in meeting our role as a national library and as a source of information for researchers not only for this, but for future generations. Preserving and protecting the collections has long been an issue of critical concern to library management, and the ability to participate in the design and construction of a facility that meets the library's environmental requirements, represents a very positive step in achieving our role as the custodian of the nation's patrimony."
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for facilities management and all capital improvements on behalf of the United States Congress, including the Library of Congress. Several years ago, a severe book storage capacity shortage led the Architect of the Capitol and Library of Congress to develop plans for a remote archival storage facility with easy access to Washington.