News & Events

Advice on Protecting Your Records

Protecting records is about identifying and managing risks. Some of the risks that your records might be exposed to are:

• Natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.
• Man-made disasters like fires and leaky roofs.
• Theft and vandalism.
• Dampness, which can encourage the growth of mould.
• Insects, mice and rats.
• Destruction by people who don’t know how valuable they are.
• Computer failures.
• Being unable to read records on obsolete technology, such as VHS tape.
• Physical damage from being handled poorly or too much.
• Light, especially direct sunlight.
• Magnetic fields, which can erase videotapes or floppy disks.
• Lack of control, meaning you don’t know what you have or how important it is.

There are simple things you can do to reduce the risks. For instance:

• Storing records off the floor may protect them in a flood.
• Sturdy boxes will help to protect records from dust, dampness, and light.
• Making a list of the records will help to establish control and make it easier to find things. This will also help to prevent too much handling.
• You can copy obsolete formats such as VHS tapes onto newer formats.
• Keep the records clean and tidy, so people can see they are valuable.
• Back up your computer, especially your email.
• If you are in business, have a disaster recovery or business continuity plan. Know what records you will need to carry on your business, and protect them especially well.
• Don’t hang on to old records for too long. If you have valuable old records, offer them to an archive. If the records are not valuable to anyone, destroy them. This will free up your energy and resources to manage your valuable records better.

More information on protecting records is available from the links below:

• The RMAA has developed a sample personal continuity plan and a sample business continuity plan. These will help you to plan to protect your records.
• The National Preservation Office, part of the National Library, has advice on preserving books, photographs, sound recordings, archives and digital materials. The site includes downloadable booklets.
• The Queensland State Archives has an online exhibition called Enemies of Paper. This provides brief, basic advice on how to make sure paper records survive.
• The New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials website contains a searchable directory of conservation professionals in New Zealand. This is a good place to find a professional conservator to treat a historic object.
• The ARANZ website also contains a business products and services directory.