Records Storage Areas.  
2/4/04

a.	Each container in a room should have a unique number and appear on an inventory list or database.  Shelves should be numbered also to provide location information on lists.
b.	Intellectual control of records also includes materials relating to records destructions and transfers, and retrievals of records.
c.	Do not store furniture and office supplies in record areas, and do not store records with office supplies and furniture. Definitely, do not store records with janitorial or facilities supplies especially flammables.  Attics are prone to excessive temperatures, and basements often flood or have excessive moisture and humidity.  Rooms with large window areas can become too hot.  Window shades can be utilized or plastic tinted window films can be applied to window surfaces. Windows should be kept closed and locked where security is an issue. 
d.	Keep tops on boxes to minimize damage from light, dust, and water.
e.	 Special media such as computer tapes and disks, video and audio-tape, photographs, microfilm is best stored in cool environments with low relative humidity, with low dust and pollution from internal vapors or outside air.
f.	Records room should be secure and locked when not in use.  
g.	Records should be kept off the floors in case of flooding or a pipe burst, or if sprinklers are set off.  3’ to 6” is normally adequate.  Where no shelving exists, place boxes up on pallets.  Stack un-shelved boxes a maximum of 7 high or the bottom box is likely to crush and topple the stack.
h.	Avoid storing records under water pipes and steam pipes.  
i.	Rooms should be environmentally controlled to avoid excessive humidity and temperatures.
j.	Rooms should have a fire suppression system such as water sprinkler systems, wet or dry, or gas and also smoke and/or heat sensors.  Remember that wet records can often be salvaged but burned records cannot be.
k.	Shelving should be designed to maximize available space.  
l.	Remember that storage space can tend to fill up much quicker than anticipated so leave as much room for growth as possible.  Investigate alternative media such as microfilm or scanning as a way of alleviating space problems.
m.	Floor load capacity an issue especially in older buildings. For calculations, consider that a standard 1 cubic foot records carton can weigh between 30 and 40 pounds, and that these will be stacked one above the other.
n.	Shelves must not extend the full distance to the ceiling or they will interfere with sprinkler systems.  Boxes should not be placed on the tops of shelving units.
o.	Good shelf design is designed around the box dimensions.  Two design principles govern. 1. Higher is better.  2. Minimize aisle space.  To minimize aisle space you can place boxes two deep on a shelf.  You will be able to locate them through your inventory list with the shelf locations.  Then you can place two shelving units back to back, essentially providing 4 boxes deep, with aisle access on both sides.  Place shelves against walls when possible but, in this case, only go two boxes deep.  Aisles should be 3” wide.  A standard shelf dimension is 32x48” with either 12”, 24” or 36” clearance between shelves.  If you go to 36” clearance you will need much stronger shelves to support the extra weight.  36” clearances make retrieval more difficult.
p.	Shelves should have diagonal bracing and use nut and bolt construction that has been found most secure during earthquakes.  Ideally shelves should be metal with baked enamel finishes. 
q.	Boxes should be the standard records carton (10"x12"x15") for ease of handling and to maximize available space.
r.	Avoid whenever possible storing records in buildings with wood flooring and wood framing due to the potential fire hazards.
s.	It may be cheaper or easier to make use of State Records Center or private Record Centers instead of in-house storage.  Distance away from the agency is not as important as retrieval turn around time. Next day delivery is normally acceptable, with the potential for emergency 1 to 2 hour service.  Generally, Records Center storage is cheaper than office space.
t.	If records get wet, moldy, or damaged contact the Records Management Unit of the Massachusetts Archives for guidance.  See article on "Records Disaster Recovery" at this website.
u.	A table is useful for viewing box contents, for processing boxes and for other general use.  A wheeled library or book cart makes a temporary table and provides a method of transporting materials.  Be sure aisles can accommodate carts or ladder mechanisms, or other equipment that might be used in the area.