Hi Juliette -
I used to work at a small historical society in a building of the same age.
Our archives were in the library on the basement floor - so timbers weren't
an issue. However, our collections storage was on the floor above, and
during our CAP survey we got nailed for floor-loading issues. Residence
buildings of that age were not meant to support shelving and certainly not
the fireproof kind.

Another thought - if these archives include collections records or other
important material - you should be keeping copies off-site or at another
building. I would especially do this because you are in a building with high
fire risk.

I would definitely push for the off-site storage. Does your museum have
connections in the town that such a space may be donated, or that somebody
may give you a price break? Good luck!

Rebecca L. Fifield
Collections Care Specialist
Department of Textile and Fashion Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
www.mfa.org

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