Preparing government records for archives

I am posting these questions for a colleague of mine who does not have
access to E-mail.  She writes:

    In several of the Government Records Management courses, we put on,
    there is talk about preparing files that will be earmarked for
    archival retention.  We would like to offer some simple suggestions
    to assist people in preparing files for the archives, based on what
    is currently available in the way of supplies.  Hopefully, this will
    help to reduce the amount of work and conservation required at the
    archives end.

    We would appreciate receiving your input on some of the issues that we
    discuss in the classes.  As follows:

    1.  Should paper clips and rubber bands be removed? or used in the first
        place?

    2.  What is the least damaging way of keeping related papers together
        until they are received by the archives?

    3.  What should be done with torn papers?

    4.  Should small papers be affixed to standard sized sheets?  With what
        product?

    5.  How should oversized material which does not fit in file folders be
        handled?

    6.  Should we recommend that envelopes and routing slips be removed?

    As a follow up to these questions she also wanted to know: (a)  the
    life expectancy, and  (b) problems arising from use of the following
    media types:

        Ordinary Bond Paper
        Thermal Facsimile Paper
        Black & White Photograph
        Colour Photograph
        Microfilm
        Blueprints
        Computer Magnetic Tapes or Cartridges
        Computer Disks
        Optical Disks
        Video Cassettes
        Audio Cassettes
        CD Rom Disks

Brent Robson
Nova Scotia Records Management
Halifax, N.S.
Phone: 902-424-6868
Fax: 902-424-0129

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:66
                 Distributed: Monday, February 20, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-66-006
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