FORMAT

- All videocassettes should be properly labeled on the container and a proper archival plan should be in place for their storage.        

           

- Ideally, you want to keep videocassettes at a stable temperature between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit and below 30% relative humidity.  The environment should have a minimal variance in environmental conditions and be well insulated.  Absolutely no UV radiation or sunlight should be able to present in the storage area.

           

- The exact numbers as to temperature and humidity may vary depending on the nature of your storage needs. For example, master cassettes in long-term storage will require lower temperatures and humidity than more often-viewed copies.

           

- When in doubt, put videocassettes in cold storage. Cold storage slows deterioration and keeps the cassettes viable in the long-term when other methods of preservation are not immediately available.

           

- The storage area should contain no wooden shelving, as well as no wooden or cardboard boxes in order make it more fireproof.  Metal shelving is recommended.

           

- If a sprinkler system is in place to prevent the spreading of fire, make sure that it is located in a place where there is minimal contact with the videocassettes.

           

- Keep videocassette storage and access areas clean regularly, and inspect the playback machines and videocassettes themselves on a regular basis to insure that they are all uncontaminated and in good working order.

           

- Videocassettes should never be stored on the floor.  They should be stored so as to prevent damage to the collection, such as fire, smoke, insect, or water damage, as well as any fungal growth.

           

- Special care should be taken to avoid any exposure to magnetic fields, which may erase the content inside the cassettes and render them corrupted.