The Ontario Building Code | Libraries
3.3.2.11. Libraries
(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (2), a library book storage room that is not normally accessible to the public shall be separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation with a fire-resistance rating not less than 2 h if it,
(a) is more than 250 m2 in area, or
(b) contains book stacks that,
(i) are more than 10 m high, or
(ii) penetrate more than one floor assembly.
(2) The fire separation required by Sentence (1) is not required if the book storage room is sprinklered.
(3) Open book shelves are permitted above and below a mezzanine floor in a library buildingprovided the height of the shelves is not more than 2.1 m but not more than 75% of the floor-to-ceiling height of the space above or below the mezzanine floor assembly.
In Plain Language
This clause sets requirements for staff-assisted evacuation procedures and building features (like wider corridors for bed or wheelchair movement) in care and treatment occupancies.
This is a plain-language summary of the 2012/2017 Ontario Building Code text above, for general understanding only and not a substitute for the Code. Always confirm current requirements against the 2024 edition (O.Reg. 163/24) or a qualified professional before construction.