[NHCOLL-L:2567] Archiving slide collections

[Alexandra M. Snyder]

We are acquiring over 20,000 slides of western US (fish) habitat pictures 
and wish to archive these in the best way possible.  In the past, we have 
used archival quality slide pages from PrintFile, with the idea that the 
sleeves would not stick to the slides nor the plastic, out gas. These slide 
pages seem to have worked out, i.e., not sticking and I can only trust that 
the claims that they do not out gas are true. Anyway, we are planning on 
using them to store this new collection and hang these file pages in 
cabinets (fire proof, dust proof) and keep the cabinets in a temperature 
controlled room (about 19 to 22 C). We do not suffer from excessive 
humidity in the SW desert, so I do not think that is an issue. We will also 
scan each slide so that the digital image is readily accessible instead of 
the slide.

I am not trained as a document archivist so I would be very interested in 
hearing from those with more training and experience as to whether we are 
making good decisions re: slide archives. Any suggestions on the 
appropriate cabinets (fire proof and dust proof) would be greatly 
appreciated.

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Alexandra M. Snyder, Collections Manager
Division of Fishes  MSC03-2020
Museum of Southwestern Biology CERIA 83
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131 USA
PH/Fax 505.277.6005
Alexandra.Snyder at msb.unm.edu