Storing film as an artifact

Among a collection of materials related to a specific photographer
and his studio, we have several boxes of unopened Kodak film.
Information listed on the boxes is as follows:

    Kodak Verichrome Pan, Black-and-White panchromatic film, VP 620
    Safety Film, for cameras designed to use standard 620 film, 8,
    12, or 16 exp. Develop before - U Dec. 1961 H

What is the best way to preserve this film?  Can it be stored
without posing a health and safety threat to staff working with the
collection, and stored without posing a threat to other collection
objects?  Would it be most prudent to discard the actual film and
retain the boxes?

Catrina Elia
Collections Manager
Colorado Historical Society
1300 Broadway
Denver CO  80203


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:65
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 26, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-65-016
                                  ***