Author: Chris Woods, Director of the National Conservation Service
The NCS Collaborative Storage Scheme is a unique and innovative new service aimed at supporting heritage organisations to have sustainable and very high quality storage space at very low cost. Following a detailed and lengthy consultation and competition, supported by over 50 archives, libraries and museums, Restore was selected who could meet the strict criteria set by the consultative group.
A single very low rate for storage per cubic metre per annum has been agreed, regardless of quantity or length of term required, with environmental, security, fire and flood protection and building qualities that meet BS 4971:2017, and unparalleled flexible contract terms.
The site re-uses massive, bomb-proof, thermally inert historic structures with very low energy needs. Uplift of packaged material from institutions' sites to the store can be undertaken free of charge for some collection types. A retrieval service is available to meet institutions' needs, along with state-of-the art location control and online institutional access for tracking and requesting material.
NCS acts for the heritage organisation, monitoring the quality of conditions at the store and advising institutions on their collections needs before moving to the site. A new suite of conservation, digitisation and project services and spaces is being set up at the site, along with rooms for archivists, curators, and librarians to come to the site to work on their collections when they need this.
For Further Information: http://www.restore.co.uk/Services/BS5454Storage/index.asp, email: sales@restore.co.uk, Or Call 0844 725 5540
Original Article: http://www.conservationltd.com/Collaborative-Storage/index.asp
Author: Chris Woods, Director of the National Conservation Service