-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Remote map storage - summary
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 13:09:36 -0400
From: Susan Greaves <[log in to unmask]>
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Hello Maps-L,
Some weeks ago, I asked for information about storing maps offsite. Here
are the questions again, and a summary of the responses I received. If
others have time to contribute their experience working with a remotely
stored map collection, please do!
Many thanks -- Susan
1. How are maps stored offsite? Flat map cases? Vertical files?
Industrial
shelving? Boxes? Folders?
a. We operate a major off-site storage operation. We have a facility
some 7
miles away from the Library in which are stored around 100,000 maps, in
purpose-built horizontal map cabinets. The cabinets are standard metal
map
cabinets& - nothing special on the design front. Maximum height is 160
cm.
b. Maps are stored in flat map cases and, within those, in acid-free
map
folders.
c. We ordered not only the conservation boxes below, but also some
conservation envelopes to put every other one in so that the atlases
didn't
damage each other (they are brittle). These boxes are then placed on the
metal shelves in the annex.
d. Right now most maps are stored flat and in the open on special
shelves. It's not ideal; I would prefer if they were in acid-free
boxes,
like our topo maps.
e. Some map series which are stored offsite are scanned, and we have the
files in our central servers. In this case it's a digital file
management
problem, not so much a physical storage issue.
2. How are maps packaged for transferal between offsite storage and
onsite
map room? Have you constructed any special boxes or ...? Does staff at
the remote facility select individual maps to send back to the user or
do
entire sets get picked and sent back to the central map room?
a. The Library van transports material to and from the out-store. Maps
tend to be rolled, and then the rolls are tied up prior to
transportation.
b. Maps are sorted in the map folders with no more than 15-20
maps/folder.
Special oversized suitcases are used to transport the maps back and
forth.
c. When requested, the whole box of Atlases (I think there were about 8
or
9 in a box) would be shipped to our Special Collections Dept. where the
specific folio that the user wanted would be taken out and the user
could
look at it in the reading room.
d. When we move maps between buildings, we never bring back entire sets;
only the needed sheets. We transport the maps by hand either in a flat
file box which is securely closed, or in a large tube or set of tubes.
e. Should maps be selected by Library users, we telephone the store,
and the staff there locate the required sheets and send them to us
in the Library van. They will not send whole sets, just the
required sheets. The Library van travels from the store to the
Library twice daily.
f. Each folder is bar coded, rather than individual maps, therefore the
folder comes back but not an entire set.
3. When you started to select maps to move offsite, did you think in
terms
of percentage of the entire collection? Storage area available?
Obvious
groups of maps?
a. We have been very selective in terms of what material is housed in
this
store. Primarily material that is least likely to be requested, and old
topographic sets that are complete, for example Austro-Hungarian Empire
series mapping from
the 19th century; we have also sent out all our maps for the Oceans and
the
Polar Regions. Selection is triggered by the amount of space available
off-site. This grows sporadically, so once new map cabinets become
available, we need to choose items for transfer.
b. Groups of maps have remained our criteria. For example, we have sent
out
outdated nautical charts and old sets of topographic maps where we have
acquired new editions: i.e. Mexico, South Africa, etc
c. We sent approximately 1,000 maps to our library annex last year. The
first set was old Geologic Atlases.
d. The second collection sent was other editions of topographic maps. We
decided to keep all editions of topos for states on the East Coast and
only
the most current for other states. So, these older editions are pulled
and
sent to the annex and collected in a new box there --I think the same
boxes
fit 30-40 topographic maps. So far we haven't had any call for these
maps
from users wanting them.
e. We maintain offsite storage of about 50,000 sheets (mostly nautical
charts and geological maps)
4. Over all, how is offsite storage working for you?
a. Does offsite storage work? Yes - I think it does, the key being to
concentrate less frequently-used maps offsite, and rely on the
understanding of our users, who tend to be very appreciative of the
situation.
b. Fortunately, we are requesting very little from offsite so we have
been
good in our selections to date and are satisfied knowing that they are
being stored in a secure and climate-controlled facility. It takes a
little while to get the procedures down, and defined, but it then works
fairly smoothly.
c. The good news is that records had to be made for these maps before
sending them to our annex - making them more accessible than they were
before! In this respect, offsite storage is working well for us.
_________________________________________
Susan Greaves
Map & GIS Librarian
Instruction, Research & Information Services (IRIS)
017 Olin Library, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853-5301
voice 607-255-9566 / fax 607-255-9346
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