Putting It Into Practice

General Building Issues

Building Maintenance

Periodic inspection and maintenance of the roof, walls, gutters, drains, and foundations is an investment in controlling interior conditions as well as in preserving the building itself. Every building that houses cultural collections should have a written schedule for maintenance of the exterior and interior of the building. It is also very helpful to keep an ongoing log of building problems, since this will allow staff to refer back to previous problems without having to rely on staff memories.

Working with Facilities Personnel

Particularly in large institutions, facilities personnel will likely have many responsibilities and pressures (including the need to save money and conserve energy), some of which may conflict with collection preservation needs. In addition, facilities personnel frequently hear complaints about staff comfort (e.g, too hot or too cold), which may make them less inclined to take seriously problems with the environment for collections.

It is crucial to develop a good working relationship with your facilities personnel. Always provide accurate data to back up your arguments, and be sure that you understand the limitations of the existing building and systems, so that you do not make unrealistic requests for changes.

  See a Building Maintenance Checklist (PDF, 440k).