Re: [AV Media Matters] Preservation of VHS and DVC Pro 50

[rohre@ARLUT.UTEXAS.EDU]

Keep them very cool, and very dry, dust free, and distanced from electrical
fields/magnetized material for the best lifetime of the base film and
binders and magnetized information.  I would make sure to seal them as best
can in library shelf boxes (plastic), rather than the cardboard sleeves.  Or
use lower cost kitchen/home plastic bins with sealing lids to keep groups of
tapes.  Just be sure the plastic enclosures do not outgas any byproducts.

The provision of auxilary aircondiitoning, or a separate system for the tape
library are both good ways to invest limited funds.   Use HEPA type filters
on conventional air conditioning, to avoid it introducing dust and undesired
products into the archive store room.  Add gaskets to doorways, and
hopefully store whre there are not windows to the outside. Metal shelving
can provide some shielding of the material from magnetic force, and does not
contribute to humidity.

Stuart Rohre
Tape Archives (ESL)
Applied Research Labs, Univ. of Tx.