Re: [AV Media Matters] Best Practices for Video Storage

[Jim Wheeler <Jimwheeler@aol.com>]

Lisa

1--Gaylord has polypropylene videocassette boxes for VHS tapes but
probably 
not for 3/4" U-Matic tapes.  Most 3/4" tapes come in a plastic clamshell
box 
but I don't know about the stability of the plastic.  Probably better
than 
nothing.  The plastic of the cassette itself may not be very good but
you are 
stuck with that.  Polycarbonate is the only good plastic for cassettes
but it 
is much more expensive than the plastics used in production.  One
Chinese 
tape manufacturer turns out 2 million VHS cassttes each day.

2--Lack of air circulation around the actual tape will not make it
degrade 
faster.  In fact, It could help because it would make the tapes less 
susceptable to variations in the temperature and humidity.

3--I am no authority on labels but I would buy them from an archival
dealer 
like Gaylord.

4--Normally, cassettes are lined up vertically with the spline facing
out 
with a label.  Peter Brothers has pointed out that this makes it easier
for 
water to get inside the container so he recommends that the spline be on
top. 
 The water problem can be minimized by having a metal extension (awning)
on 
top of the top of the shelving that deverts water away from the
shelving.  
The source of water is usually from a sprinkler head or a roof leak.

5--Archival boxes are okay as long as you have a good cataloging system.
I 
don't like them because I like to see each tape container.

Jim Wheeler

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