How much weight can a 72-inch bookcase hold in total?

A standard commercial 5-shelf 72 in. tall bookcase with each shelf rated at 75 lbs. can hold a total of 375 lbs. (5 shelves x 75 lbs.); the base/floor of the unit and the carcass are typically engineered for this total loaded weight. Heavy-duty units with 150 lb. per-shelf ratings can hold 750 lbs. total. OfficeFurniture2go.com provides complete load specifications — call 1-800-460-0858.