book cases

[vittoria]

Can anybody tell me if there is a word for what I am looking for? I mean a bookcase which sits against an end wall, and is 'double' so that you can turn it round (perhaps pressing a pedal or lever); so you have books on both sides. I thought it was called a revolving bookcase but it is not, because a revolving bookcase is a freestanding thing that rotates on its axis. I once worked in an office that had filing cabinets that worked on this principle. Many thanks.

[thekraut]

I know that in german the principle is called Paternoster. don't know the english word, though, sorry.

[vittoria]

Dear Thekraut, thank you for your answer. I don't suppose you know a German website where you can buy these things? They might have a UK distributor/agent; or I might be able to print pictures of the products in the website and show them to furniture shops; much easier that trying to explain; unfortunately, people often are not patient enough to listen to me trying to explain something I am not sure about. Thank you again.

[thekraut]

just to be sure: you are ta�king about some kind of bookcase that rotates about two horizontal axes and the single shelves are attached to some kind of chain or whatever is running around? if so, keep on reading. I used to work in a factory where these things were produced. unfortunately they sold the patents and everything a couple of years ago. and if you want them for books in your living room that wouldn't have helped you anyway. The stuff I am talking about weighs about a ton, is made of massive metal and generally used for heavy industrial equipment and tools. i'm not sure if they even exist for books. if so, probably as library or archive shelves. I doubt though that it exists in living room style. Anyway, I might be wrong, so don't give up!

[vittoria]

Dear Thekraut, the kind of thing you describe sounds just like the thing in an office I used to work in (now shut down); you are right, it was massive, made of metal and heavy, not at all suitable for a living room; but I am trying to find out whether there exists something that works on the same principle, but is suitable for books in a private house. I am having my loft converted and part of the ceiling will be sloping and not high enough to stand in so this thing would be ideal; its main characteristic is that it is deceptively deep because it is double the depth of a normal bookcase; so I could store a lot more books in a space which would be dead otherwise. With luck it might come out far enough to end where the ceiling is high enough to stand... hope that makes sense... thanks for your help in any case!