The
archival supply houses have a myriad of different items from which to
choose. It can and is daunting to
figure out what you really need.
Let’s start with storage boxes.
I did talk about this before, but not in any detail and I will admit
with some inaccuracies. Now I’m going to correct that. (Should have checked
Wikipedia, the answer to all things.)
Your
first decision is to determine the size of the archival storage box that you
need. The most common ones used by
archives are 12x15x10 inches. That
size fits easily on most shelves, has an easily removable lid, and is not too
heavy even when full. Archive supply houses do have larger or smaller ones if
that is what you need. Storage
boxes tend to be made from corrugated board (like cardboard boxes with a flat
board on each side of an accordion layer, commonly called a flute, in the middle).
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| Example of an archival fluted box side |
Fluted boxes come in varying
types. There are A, B, C, E, and
F. According to Wikipedia, the
letter designation refers to the order in which they were invented. It is most definitely not the size,
which is determined by the number of flutes (accordion folds per inch). F has the most flutes. B and E also
have more flutes that C. Wikipedia
says that C-flute is the most common type, but as noted above B would have more
flutes and would therefore be stronger.
The archival catalogs have both.
What is more important than the linear amount of flutes is that you buy
boxes that have double or triple reinforcement on the sides and bottom. Don’t be cheap on that. Single-walled boxes just are not sturdy
enough.
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| Single walled box already losing shape |
Boxes
come in a variety of colors. Cost
is what determines which ones I buy.
The classic color is a blue-gray (pictured) , but you can buy them in white, yellow,
and tan if you prefer. Aesthetically
it looks better on a shelf if they are all the same color, but that’s really
the only consideration. Some boxes
are buffered. That means that
calcium carbonate has been added to provide an additional barrier to acid
migration. Buffered boxes are
chemically basic with a pH of around 8.5.
Regular acid free boxes are neutral that is they have a 7.0 pH. Highly acidic paper would benefit from
housing in buffered boxes or with buffered interweaving paper to reduce the
migration of acid. That said most
archives have used the unbuffered and that is the safest when in doubt. I follow the recommendations of the
National Park Service.
One thing to note is that all paper products will become
acid over time, archival boxes included.
Buffered material resists acidity longer and appears to be the direction some archives are going with their paper storage.
I
should mention other types of archival storage boxes. One is made from polypropylene, a chemically inert plastic
type material that won’t off gas and damage objects. . This type of box is also fluted. It is more expensive than other storage
boxes and really is only necessary if there is a need for moisture
protection. Hopefully your HVAC
system provides some humidity control and you don’t live in a swamp. Gaylord also has
boxes made of unbleached Kraft material.
These are acid-free, but are not adequate for long-term storage
according to the company. Read the
information about the product carefully before you order. Make sure you have acid free and lignin
free for long-term storage.
Another type of coating on a box is acrylic. This coating provides a moisture
barrier. Certainly not necessary
here in West Texas.
That’s
it for storage boxes. Pick the
size and the color and make sure that the sides are reinforced. By the way archival boxes have to be
assembled when they arrive. No
glue is used for the manufacture since glue can be very acidic. The boxes simply require folding to
assemble. It’s quite easy. Just follow the directions.
Next time file boxes.
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