Remko,
Multiple backups, multiple storage locations, and even different storage
media are all musts. The NIST publication you need is here:
http://www.itl.nist.gov/div895/carefordisc/CDandDVDCareandHandlingGuide.pdf
Either the hard jewel cases or the archival polypropylene versions are
good. The main reason I lean toward the poly-versions is that they are not
as prone to cracking or shattering. Of course, if they are stored and
handled well that would not be an issue. In any case, avoid the thin cases
for long term storage, as they are too thin and flexible.
One of the things I have not seen on any of the other posts responding to
your question, and forgive me if I missed it, is a discussion of data
permanence. Migration to newer media and technology/software obsolecence
are serious concerns, but there is another issue that lurks in the dark
places of our vaults. DVDs and CDs are not permanent storage media, and
they should never be considered as such.
Of course use and poor conditions can damage a CD/DVD-RAM or ROM, but the
data on the disks can become unreadable all by itself even in good
conditions. The dye-based technology that we all use is subject to
degradation over time, and your archived master copies could become
unuseable in as few as 1-5 years, whether or not you still have a computer
that can run/read them. If you are going to archive data in any digital
format, you need to have a policy in place for periodic checking and
recopying of the data to fresh media to prevent such losses.
As David noted, only a few media, such as microfilm, microfiche, and
paper(punchcards), can be considered permanent in the long run. All other
digital and electronic media should be considered temporary and treated as
such. That is assuming you actually want to keep your information for the
long term. DVD-ROMs are a much more stable option, but the difficulty and
expense of producing such creatures in low number/unique batches would be
prohibitive for most of us. Perhaps it has gotten cheaper when I was not
looking.
George's suggestion of using professional data storage services is a good
one, and likely the direction the archival industry will go(in my personal
opinion). Such an option is easy, secure, relatively cheap, and they
generally guarantee the longevity of the data. As it becomes more
mainstream a few leaders in the field will emerge offering data storage
permanence. I too am not quite sure of their permanence just yet, so my
critical data still stays with me.
Good luck.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
"Jansonius, Remko
(Vizcaya)"
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After a year on the job I have collected loads of digital images – scanned,
shot, donated. It’s time to put the master files in storage.
Is there a general consensus on what materials to use? What type of CDs? Is
there a specific pro or con to use CD envelops (compacter) or jewel boxes
(more rigid)? Does anyone have good experiences with specific CD
drawers/boxes/cabinets? Is there anything I am overlooking here?
Any and all comments are appreciated!
… and a good new year to all!
Remko Jansonius
Collections and Archives Manager
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
3251 South Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33129
t: 305-860-8433
f: 305-250-9117
www.vizcayamuseum.org
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