Storage systems

Storage systems determine how densely you can hold material, how safely staff can retrieve it, and how well individual items survive daily handling. The goal is to maximise usable capacity while protecting each item from mechanical, chemical and environmental damage - and to keep everything findable through disciplined location control.

Furniture and enclosures are part of the preservation system, not just infrastructure. The wrong shelving finish or a reactive box can undo an excellent climate.

Shelving & layout

Mobile (compact) shelving typically increases capacity by 40-80% over static bays by removing fixed aisles, but it imposes heavy floor loads and demands robust maintenance.

• Specify powder-coated steel; avoid wood and finishes that off-gas acids or peroxides.
• Keep bottom shelves clear of the floor (150 mm+) as protection against minor flooding.
• Leave circulation and expansion space; never fill to 100% on installation.

Enclosures & media-specific storage

Primary enclosures should meet archival quality tests - the ISO 18916 Photographic Activity Test (PAT) for anything housing photographic material - and match the medium.

• Use acid-free, lignin-free boxes and folders; buffered or unbuffered as the medium requires.
• Store large formats flat in plan chests; roll oversized items on acid-free tubes.
• Provide cold/cool zones for film and colour photographs; separate magnetic and optical media.

Location control

Every item needs a persistent, recorded location so retrieval is fast and misfiling is visible. Barcoding shelf ranges and enclosures links the physical store to your catalogue.

Key takeaways

• Compact shelving buys density but demands floor-loading and maintenance planning.
• Choose enclosures by medium and require PAT-passed materials for photographs.
• Persistent, catalogued locations - ideally barcoded - make retrieval and audit reliable.