Putting It Into Practice

Storing Media Collections

What are the proper storage practices for film-based and electronic media usually encountered in paper-based collections? These media might include motion picture film, microforms, sound recordings, videotapes, magnetic disks, CDs, and DVDs. Are these materials currently being stored properly? Do they need to be rehoused into preservation-quality enclosures, or can they be stored in their original enclosures? In this section you will review commonly recommended storage practices for these types of non-paper-based collections, and you will use this knowledge to begin to evaluate your own storage methods.