Best Practices for Shared Print Storage Environments

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Note: This Best Practice uses the Good, Better, Best, Aspirational terminology

Summary: 

Shared print retentions carry with them the assumption of longevity. It can be assumed that questions will arise around the storage environment in which the shared print collections are retained. Additionally, when a group of libraries or programs undertake to coordinate shared print retentions, there may be questions around what storage environments are most appropriate. For some shared print retentions, an efficient, appropriate storage environment may be a service library, in open stacks. For other shared print retentions, it may be advisable to prioritize secure, environmentally regulated space. 

This best practice is composed of two sections: (1) a recommended tier system to quickly identify the quality of the storage environment in which a title resides; and (2) recommendations for programs and participants to consider as they determine what storage environments are optimal for their shared print collections.

Good

Good Practice would involve

  • a facility type that is a full service library with open access that has little to no ability to strictly and closely monitor or report on shelf use activity
  • unrestricted access to the collection
  • an unknown Time Weighted Preservation Index (TWPI)
  • unmonitored relative humidity
  • a maximum temperature that exceeds 70 degrees fahrenheit 
  • unlimited light exposure
  • no disaster preparedness plan
  • no denotation of storage environment information for shared print retentions
  • no different prioritization of items of high and low risk of loss, or a prioritization of titles or copies identified by the shared print program at being at a low risk of loss and having minimal impact if lost (e.g., titles with many copies)
  • no different prioritization of retained copies and digital surrogates or a prioritization of digitally preserved titles

Better

Better Practice would involve

  • a facility type that is a standalone storage facility or a full service library with a closely monitored open access area or a closed access area
  • a security system that does not include a keycard or lock
  • an annual TWPI of 40 or better
  • a relative humidity of 30-60%
  • a maximum temperature of no more than 70 degrees fahrenheit 
  • unlimited light exposure
  • a disaster preparedness plan that includes, at a minimum, fire detection 
  • no denotation of storage environment information for shared print retentions 
  • no different prioritization of items of high and low risk of loss 
  • no different prioritization of retained copies and digital surrogates

Best

Best Practice would involve

  • a facility type that is a standalone storage facility, or a full service library whose retention commitments are held in a closed access area
  • a security system that includes a keycard or lock at all times
  • an annual TWPI of 75 or better
  • a relative humidity of 30-50%
  • a maximum temperature of no more than 65 degrees fahrenheit 
  • unlimited light exposure
  • a disaster preparedness plan that includes, at a minimum, fire detection and suppression
  • denotation of storage environment information for shared print retentions either by recording through a directory of retention institutions associated with shared print registries (e.g., directory of facilities in the Print Archives Preservation Registry), or a recording of storage environment information for shared print retentions through local metadata (i.e., a 583 note in disclosure records)
  • electronically available but not digitally preserved titles
  • prioritization of items (titles or copies) identified as being at risk of loss and having impact if lost 

Aspirational

Aspirational Practice would involve

  • a facility type that is a standalone storage facility whose retention commitments are in a closed access area
  • a security system that includes a keycard or lock at all times and explicit and up to date security policies
  • an annual TWPI of 120 or better
  • a relative humidity of 30-40%
  • a maximum temperature of no more than 55 degrees fahrenheit 
  • light exposure that is limited to work hours, when staff is in the stacks (lit on demand)
  • a current and in place disaster preparedness plan that includes fire detection, suppression, and notification to a response team
  • a disaster preparedness plan that includes a reinforced building, materials located to minimize flooding risk 
  • denotation of storage environment information for shared print retentions either by recording through a directory of retention institutions associated with shared print registries (e.g., directory of facilities in the Print Archives Preservation Registry), and a recording of storage environment information for shared print retentions through local metadata (i.e., a 583 note in disclosure records)
  • a prioritization of items (titles or copies) that do not have digital surrogates and are titles that are last copies or are scarce and have been identified at being at a high risk of loss and high impact if lost

Storage Environments:

Table 1

Download PDF of table

Recommended storage environments for shared print

This best practice is meant to support shared print program member libraries as they evaluate the storage options available to them. While this best practice makes recommendations that take into account the need for materials to be secure, closed storage facilities with basic environmental regulation (Tier 1 or Tier 2 as outlined in Table 1), not all contributors will have access to that type of environment. 

How to expose storage environment information for shared print retentions

Option 1: Record and expose through a directory of retention institutions associated with shared print registries (i.e., directory of facilities in the Print Archives Preservation Registry); a related option is to further expose the tiers as a generated data field in the metadata.1

Option 2: Record and expose through local metadata (i.e., 583 note in disclosure records).

Resources

Updated: August 2024

  1. As of August 2022 the exact location and syntax for this is still being discussed by the Partnership Best Practices and OCLC Metadata group.