As part of a columnar in-memory database, value identifiers are inserted into a backing array in-memory until such time that it is determined that such backing array does not have sufficient capacity. A new backing array is then generated that includes the value identifiers in the old backing array and which has sufficient capacity. The old backing array can be flushed from memory when there are no active operations using such backing array. Such an arrangement allows for readers and non-structural writers to operate concurrently.