Storage & Supplies

Protecting your materials starts with the right storage and supplies, without them, the materials can be at risk to a host of issues. This page offers expert resources and trusted tools to help you safeguard your collections with confidence, ensuring they remain preserved, organized, and accessible for generations to come.

Storage

Storage Guides

Facility Storage

Archives & Record Storage by Whole Building Design Guide
Archival Storage Room Recommendations by Margot Note
Guidelines for Records Storage Facilities by United Nations
NARA 1571, Archival Storage Standards by NARA
See also: Environmental Influences

Material Storage

Archival Storage of Paper by Gaylord Archival
Guidelines for Selecting Storage Supplies by the Georgia Archives
Storage and Housing by the Black Metropolis Research Consortium

Terms to Know

Acid-Free - paper that is distinguished from those that have acidic residue from its manufacturing. Residual acid will destroy the paper fibers and make the paper more brittle over time. Preservation includes steps to minimize this deterioration as much as possible.

Housing - how archival materials are stored appropriately in folders, sleeves, envelopes, boxes, etc. to preserve them long-term and protect them from deterioration or damage.

Re-Housing - the physical transfer of archival resources into new containers or relating to the physical transfer of archival resource into new containers.

Repository - a space used to store items of continuing value, particularly records; a storehouse; OR an institution focused on the care and storage of items of continuing value, particularly records.

Supplies

Supply List

Trying to figure out what you need to operate your institution? Look through the archival essentials supply list to see what you might be missing!

Archival Supply List.pdf

Note: This is not a comprehensive list of everything necessary for every facet of archiving. This is a list of basic essentials that will aid in general processing.

Shopping List

Don't know where to start with shopping for your institution? Here is a shopping list with active links to budget friendly supplies!

Archival Shopping List.pdf

Note: This is not a comprehensive list of everything necessary for every facet of archiving. This is a list of basic essentials that will aid in general processing.