Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 39. (1986)
Archive Buildings and the Conservation of Archival Material. An Expert Meeting, held in Vienna, Austria October 30 - November 1, 1985 - STEWART, William J.: Summary of Discussions
Summary of Discussions 287 ANNEX II Guidelines adopted by the Meeting of International Experts on Archive Buildings and the Conservation of Archival Materials held in Vienna, Austria, 30 October to 1 November 1985, under the auspices of UNESCO and the International Council on Archives The conservation of archives, as part of the cultural heritage of mankind, is of primary concern to all the nations and communities of the world. Modem environmental conditions pose a rapidly increasing threat to that conservation. Paper documents, photographs, audio visual, magnetic and machine readable media are all at risk. The following guidelines should be taken into consideration when any building is being constructed or adapted for the preservation and administration of archives: 1. The site of the building should be carefully chosen to provide perfect security for the archives, and protection against natural disasters or human aggression as well as easy access for the users. 2. The adaptation of existing buildings for archival use always poses technical problems which should be carefully considered before a final decision is taken. In particular, archive buildings have specific requirements for load bearing, fire protection and security which mean that the majority of existing buildings have to undergo substantial modification if they are to provide proper conditions for the conservation of archives. 3. The areas devoted to conservation (stack rooms), to the public, and to the work of the archives staff should be clearly distinct, as they serve different needs and have different technical characteristics. 4. Special attention should be paid to the following technical requirements for the protection of archives: protection against assault, vandalism and theft, protection against fire, including arson, protection against environmental damage: heat, cold, excessive humidity or dryness and air pollution (see no. 5), protection against sunlight, protection against fungus, insects and rodents. 5. The climatic conditions for every archive building should be considered carefully, taking into account: a) the nature of the documents; whether they include paper, photographic materials, magnetic media, etc., each of which requires specific conditions for good conservation. b) the environmental conditions prevalent in each climatic zone. The best possible climatic conditions should be provided for the archives and these should include the correct temperature and relative humidity as well as protection against air pollution. When considering ways to achieve these conditions, it is important to bear in mind the need for economy in the functioning and maintenance of the building.
