[PADG:906] Microfilm Storage

[Cathleen Mook <cathy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good afternoon,

Last week I asked this group for advice/contact info for microfilm master
negative storage facilities other than National Underground Storage and
Preservation Resources.  I asked that people respond directly to me and
wrote that I would summarize for the list if there was any interest.    

Well, there was plenty of interest.  I received approximately 12 messages
from archivists and librarians from across the country.  Two mentioned that
they used facilities owned by their state or local government.  One
respondent noted that his negatives were stored on site at the library,
print masters in one building and camera masters in another.  Most of the
other messages were from people with clarifications or from those who were
interested in my findings, asking me to summarize them for the group.
Unfortunately, I did not receive contact information for any other publicly
available storage facilities.

Sorry that I don't have any additional information for those who responded
to my initial message.  

While I have you, can I direct your attention to a rather philosophical
question?  In your opinion, are we, as an industry, satisfied with having
(basically) only 2 publicly available microfilm master storage facilities?
Do we need one more? 2 more? Both IM/NUS and PresRes are located in
Pennsylvania.  Is there any interest in having a more geographically diverse
choice of storage locations?  If we feel we need more choices, what can we
do to make it happen?  Your musings and thoughts would be appreciated.

Cathy


[One bureaucratic item to note:  Iron Mountain, a worldwide records
management company, purchased National Underground Storage (NUS) in July of
1998.  The new entity, named Iron Mountain/National Underground Storage,
Inc, has a Web site at http://www.national-underground.com/
<http://www.national-underground.com/>  .  Preservation Resources, the other
storage facility currently holding a UF contract for master microfilm
storage, has a web site at http://www.oclc.org/oclc/presres/index.htm
<http://www.oclc.org/oclc/presres/index.htm>   .] 


Cathleen L. Mook
Head, Preservation Department
P.O.Box 117007
University of Florida
Gainesville, Fl 32611
Voice 352-392-6962
Fax 352-392-6597
Cathy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx