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National Archives of the Republic of South Sudan

Design Brief

April 29, 2013

Government of the Republic of South Sudan

National Archives of the Republic of South Sudan Design-Brief


TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 6. Introduction Rationale for National Archives Stakeholders and Partners Documentation reviewed User Requirements Clients objectives Projects requirements Projects proposed schedule Site Appraisal The site Proposed Site Boundary Summary of Site constraints Preliminary Master Plan Layout Site uses Access to the Site Site Layout Character, Identity and Visual Aspects of the building design Spatial Relationships Area Schedule Building Sustainability Ideas Design Planning General Scope of Design Consultants Selection Criteria of Design Consultant Evaluation of Proposals Design Considerations Design Features Risk Mitigation & Sustainability

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7. Annexes 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 AR001: AR002: Site Layout Plan UNOPS Site Topography Plan UNOPS

02-23.pdf: A Fire Safety Self-Inspection Checklist Conserve O Gram 04-14.pdf: Museum Storage Equipment Needs Conserve O Gram 04-07.pdf: Insulated Modular Structure for Storage - Conserve O Gram 04-10.pdf: Determining Museum Storage Equipments Needs Conserve O Gram 04-11.pdf: Determining Museum Storage Space Requirements Conserve O Gram 04-14.pdf: Planning a Research Space Conserve O GraM Storage Furniture Preservation Advisory Centre, British Library

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1 INTRODUCTION
The Design Brief for the South Sudan National Archives has been prepared by UNOPS with reviews and technical assistance from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MoCYS) of the Republic of South Sudan, ICCROM (International Centre for the study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), UNESCO, Rift Valley Institute and UNMISS. The report has been developed in response to the generous support of the Government of Norway to assist Republic of South Sudan in design and construction of National Archives project for collection, preservation, storage and retrieval of historical documents. The report is intended to present user requirements and capture design strategies in a single and consistent document, the Design Brief. This consists of the development of initia l statement of requirements on behalf of the Client confirming key requirements and constraints. Additionally, the design brief contains design recommendations, identification of procurement methods and criteria in selection of design consultant to be engaged for the project. This Design Brief contains an overview of the functional, spatial and technical aspects to be further developed in the next stages of design. In the initial section, we provide a summary of the key considerations for the design of National Archives. They include its geographical location, relevant stakeholders and the surrounding context. This is followed by a summary of operational objectives that define the functional brief for the project (see Chapter 2). The third chapter provides an overview of the site proposal; including relevant background information and key constraints (see Chapter 3). The preliminary masterplan layout and key technical strategies associated with the design of the site-wide infrastructure is presented and illustrated in the fourth chapter. Subsequently, Design Planning is provided in Chapter 5. In the last section of this report, sustainability related recommendations have been presented.

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1.1

Rationale for the National Archive

Celebrating South Sudans independence, the Government of Norway committed in July 2011 to assist the Government of the Republic of South Sudan with the construction of a National Archives. This was done in recognition of the long road to freedom, the special relation between Norway and South Sudan, and the importance of preserving South Sudans national heritage and identity. Every government needs an efficient archive service in order to preserve records and to provide public access to governance. Because of this central role of archives in the building of a democratic state, South Sudan has started early on to work on the establishment of this institution. The key objectives of constructing new National Archives premises in Juba, South Sudan are to provide for a dedicated space: to store important records, public and non-public to preserve and restore records for research and public access to records for the education of the general public

1.2

Stakeholders and Partners

The following are the salient stakeholders for implementation of this project: Government of the Republic of South Sudan Government of Norway General Public

Implementing partners: UNESCO UNOPS National Archives of Norway Rift Valley Institute ICCROM

The Project Board consists of the following members: Representative of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan Advisor from the Embassy of Norway in South Sudan Representative from UNESCO Representative from UNOPS

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1.3

Documentation Reviewed

The following are some of the documents that have been consulted during the development of the Design Brief: National Archives, South Sudan Project Brief: Prepared by UNESCO & UNOPS, Juba A National Cultural Centre Report: Prepared by Metaphor Design Guidelines for the Juba Archive Building Working paper presented by the Rift Valley Institute Minutes of National Archives Project Board Meeting dated February 12, 2013 The Role of Archives in Nation Building Proceedings of lecture by Dr. Douglas H. Johnson organized by UNESCO & Rift Valley Institute, Juba

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2 USER REQUIREMENTS
As part of the project, the Project Board decided to recruit a consultant for preparation of the master plan and the architectural, structural, electrical, mechanical and landscaping designs and drawings and the bill of quantities for the aforementioned project. The approximate plot measurements are 270m x 115m.

2.1

Clients Objectives

The main objective of this project is to have a secure place with state of the art technology for the preservation, storage and retrieval of important archival records. Besides the above, the project needs to have a public access space where holdings could be made available for research, reference and public awareness.

2.2

Project Requirements

The project should be comprised of the following areas (for further details on each of the elements, refer to part 4.5 of this Design Brief): 1. Incoming Records Area: Docking area for incoming records and building/area for receiving incoming collections (this could be a separate building). It should consist of: a) Room for receiving and sorting incoming records b) Quarantine room with a fumigation chamber c) Area for non-selected records (eventually to be disposed off as per the national archival policy) d) Area for preliminary cleaning and boxing/filing of records e) Supplies room 2. Non-Public Area, with easy access to public parts of the building and consisting of the following spaces: a) Room for registering/cataloguing records (well lit and good air ventilation, passive climate control features) b) Lab area for cleaning/repairs for preparing the records for storage and/or digitization (well lit and good airflow) and with one fume hood and one large rectangular sink for wet treatments c) Digitization room (air-conditioned) with fire doors d) Audio-visual collections holding area cum work space for inspecting records and digitization (Air conditioned with fire doors) e) Three Store rooms for archival records (passive climate control, fire doors, well lit timed lighting/natural light) f) Small-size strong room for high priority records (air conditioned and very well secured) g) Staging area adjacent to storage rooms for staging archival records coming out of climate-controlled storage rooms h) Office space for up to 15 staff - can be open plan office, to be connected to registration and laboratory space

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i) Server room j) Toilets k) Supplies room 3. Public Area of the building, easily accessible from the non-public areas, in- and outflows between public and non-public should be easy to monitor. It should comprise of the following functions: a) b) c) d) Reception area for visitors with space for front desk, lockers etc. Atrium space to be used for exhibitions Auditorium and conference space for formal lectures/shows Reading space for max 30 visitors with provisions for computer terminals, book shelves, desks and reference desk e) Toilets f) Kitchen and cafeteria (for staff and visitors or events) 4. Access Roads / Foot Paths 5. Car Parking Area approximately for 20 cars 6. Landscaping (Note: flowering plants likely to attract insects should be kept to a minimum as they can cause pest infestations either inside or outside the building.)

2.3

Projects Proposed Schedule

SR. NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

STAGES OF WORK Draft Design Brief Adaptation and Approval of Final design Brief RFP posting and soliciting response from potential design firms Selection of Design firm evaluation of bids, presentation by firms and approval of award Detailed Design Phase and preparation of Tender Documents for selection of Contractor RFP posting and soliciting response from potential Contractors Selection of Contractor evaluation of bids, and approval of award Construction of Project

DURATION

DATE OF COMPLETION March 31, 2013

30 Days 45 days 45 days 5 months 45 days 30 days TBD

April 29, 2013 June 17, 2013 July 31, 2013 December 31, 2013 February 15, 2014 March 15, 2014 TBD

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3 SITE APPRAISAL
3.1 The site

The proposed site is located in the heart of Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The terrain for the proposed National Archives building is owned by the Government of South Sudan. The site is situated next to Freedom Square, which holds the mausoleum of Dr. John Garang and his statue. The Square is being used for the celebrations of Independence Day and other important public events. It is immediately adjacent to important government offices including the Ministries compound, the National Assembly, and the Presidents Office, and the University of Juba (see Fig. 1). The proximity of the site to the offices of the government agencies makes it suitable for the intended purpose because it can be easily reached by central government staff, researchers from the universities and other government agencies as well as the public.

3.2

Proposed Site Boundaries

The site is surrounded by Freedom Square (see Fig. 2.) in the West, an empty plot of land in the East and by two streets in the North and South sides, which provide access to the site. Nearby the site is Mausoleum of the Late Dr. John Garang and overlooking from the seats of freedom square, a flag pole and the Monument of Dr. John Garang lay at the center of the square which forms a very strong horizontal axis dividing the public square. The extent of the site is shown in Figs. 1-3. The design of the archive building, including landscaping, shall be restricted to within the boundaries indicated in the layout plan. The site is also meant to accommodate other cultural buildings, including the National Museum. The National Archives building will be the first of the institutions to be built on the site, and will as such have an important role in setting the standard for the design and layout of the area.

3.3

Summary of the sites constraints

There are a few potential design constraints applicable to the proposed project site (see Figs. 3 and 4), which may need to be taken into account by the designer: Currently there is one old building on the site, which is being rehabilitated to serve as a temporary archives storage. It is envisaged that this building could remain in use. Adjacent to the proposed site on the southern side there is a conference hall (Freedom Hall), which is used for large functions. The generator house, water tank structure and underground reservoir serving the nearby conference hall, are located behind the hall. The site is situated on high grounds and has a gentle slope and no physical obstructions. It does not face a risk of flooding. (Fig.4)

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Although the terrain indicated for the construction of the National Archives is mainly devoid of vegetation, there are a few existing trees on the larger site and the designer should retain the trees into the degree possible, provided they do not interfere with the building layout and risk prevention measures required for the archives (see chapter 6). The site will also accommodate other cultural facilities (buildings and open spaces). Therefore the layout of the building shall be restricted to the space within the boundaries as indicated in Fig. 3. There are no underground or above ground utility services such as water, sewerage, storm water and electricity available on the premises. o Water sources: - No water supply lines are available in the area and the designer must assume the provision of an underground water reservoir and overhead water tanks structure (complete with pumping). A rainwater harvesting system may be considered. Sewage / waste water disposal: - There is no centralized municipal sewage/ waste water disposal system in place in Juba, therefore the design must also include on-site handling of sewage and waste water through a septic system/ treatment plant and leach field. Electrical supply: - The citys power supply system is not reliable therefore power supply is to be made through a mix of generator power and alternative energy. Provision is to be made for connection to the national grid.

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National Assembly

Ministries Compound

Late Dr. John Garang Mausoleum

Entrance from North Side

Monument of Late Dr. John Garang

Flag Pole Freedom Square

The Site

University of Juba

Entrance from South Side University of Juba

FIG. 1. AERIAL IMAGE OF THE PROPOSED SITE AND THE SURROUNDINGS

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FIG. 2. PROPOSED SITE BOUNDARY - SURVEY PLAN OF THE PROPOSED SITE

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Conference / Reception Hall

Existing Structure to be retained

Area reserved for National Archives Building

Area reserved for National Museum Building

N
AREA COVERED BY THE DESIGN BRIEF EXISTING BUILDINGS / CONFERENCE / RECEPTION HALL EXISTING WATER TANK / WATER RESERVOIR / GENERATOR HOUSE EXISTING TREES AND SHRUBS AREA RESERVED FOR ARCHIVES BUILDING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE SITE EXISTING VEHICULAR ACCESS WITHIN THE SITE VEHICLE ACCESS POINTS TO THE SITE GAVE
AREA RESERVED FOR NATIONAL MUSEUM

FIG. 3. ACCESS TO THE SITE & SITE APPRAISAL

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FIG. 4. TOPOGRAPHY PLAN OF THE PROPOSED SITE

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Gate at Southern side

Gate at Southern side

VIEW STREET AT SOUTHERN SIDE

ENTRANCE TO THE SITE GATE AT THE SOUTHERN SIDE

Conference / Reception Hall

ACCESS ROAD FROM GATE AT THE SOUTH - FRONT OF CONFERENCE / RECEPTION HALL AT THE BACK GROUND

ACCESS TO SITE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY VIEW OF REAR SIDE OF CONFERENCE / RECEPTION HALL

FIG. 5. ACCESS TO THE SITE: ENTRY POINTS AND ROAD WITHIN THE COMPOUND

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Freedom square

Existing buildings to be retained Fence on western side

Fence wall on Western side adjacent to Freedom Square

FIG. 6. VIEW OF THE PROPERTY FROM NORTH EASTERN CORNER OF PROPERTY

FIG. 7. VIEW WITHIN THE SITE FROM SOUTH EASTERN CORNER OF PROPERTY

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Gate at Northern side

Existing building to be retained Fence wall on western side of the project site View from inside the property View overlooking to gate at Northern side of the property

Fence wall on Western side of the site

View within the site overlooking to south

FIG. 8. VIEWS OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND FENCE WALL WITHIN THE PROPOSED SITE

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4 PRELIMINARY MASTERPLAN LAYOUT


4.1 Site Uses

As the site is located in the centre of the town, and has a highly symbolic value as the first national level institution of its kind to be built since independence, it is highly desirable to add to the vitality of the design and make the site and the building to be highly user friendly (e.g., easy pedestrian and vehicular access, enabling well signed, easy and protected movement for people of all abilities to the facility and to the site). The following are to be considered for site uses Topography (shape of the land):- geologic base (soil, erosion, etc.), hydrology (water, drainage), vegetation (existing & desired plants), wildlife (habitats, protected species), climate (sun, temperatures, precipitation, wind) Access:- Vehicular, pedestrian and disabled Utilities:- sewage, electricity, water reservoir Boundaries:- property line, easements; legal regulations (building codes, bylaws) Character and identity:- community identity, diversity, structures scale, continuity cultural expression, social interaction needs & opportunities. Visual: site features (outstanding nearby features, natural or human made); views (from and of proposed structure, seasonal affects of views) Spatial qualities:- outdoor/indoor spaces, variety, uniformity

4.2

Access to the Site

The site can be accessed from two sides without restrictions, a gate at North side and a gate at South side. The southern gate is mainly serving the conference / reception hall (Fig. 3 & Fig. 5). The Government of South Sudan will acquire planning permission to use this gate as secondary (emergency entrance /exit) access road. It is envisaged for the access from north side to be used as primary entry point once the building is in use. There is an additional pedestrian gate at Western side of the property that can be used to provide access to pedestrians. 4.3 Site Layout

The building layout should consider into the extent possible the principles of passive climate control in order to minimize the effects of heat, humidity and sunlight. The direction of prevailing wind in Juba is from South to North for the majority of the year (65%) and for the

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remaining period it flows from North to South. Therefore, the proposed layout should consider the South / North facing orientation of the building. All parking is to comply with relevant standards and local planning regulations and requirements. Sufficient public parking is to be provided to accommodate visitors expected to utilize this building and considerable space should be provided for loading and unloading of large items to the non-public area of the building. For larger events, the parking space in front of the conference hall could be used. 4.4 Character, identity and visual aspects of the building design

The new National Archives building is expected to make a very positive contribution to the life and appearance of the town centre and the site as a whole should be function as a centre of conservation and culture. The National Archives building has a high symbolic value and its design should set the standard for the other cultural projects planned on the site (including the National Museum). It is to be designed to set a model for contemporary architecture in South Sudan and should have the ability to attract visitors and should be a design which is well composed, confident, well crafted and which will stand the tests of time. It should represent the time that it is built and respond well in the future. The building design should have a distinctive contemporary character, should capture the essence and spirit of South Sudanese cultural diversity and should highlight the South Sudanese heritage. This may be achieved through the use of materials both for exterior and interior, interior design, furnishings and the quality of the landscaping. 4.5 4.5.1 Spatial relationship General

The National Archives building is to be designed as an inviting institution, serving an important public function. In addition, its design should allow for the ease of staff movement from non-public work areas to public areas, but with strict access controls. The public spaces can be mutli-purpose and should provide for comfortable working areas, reading and consultation areas and with larger spaces where exhibitions, lectures or events can be organized. Cafetaria, kitchen, toilets, etc are to be positioned so that multiple users can access them, avoiding duplication. Four main parts are to be distinguished in the building layout: Non-public Areas composed of: Conservation area (i.e. storage rooms) must be isolated for safety and security reasons. Working areas (offices, laboratories, etc). Public Areas include: reception, reading room, atrium, conference room and auditorium. Outdoor space includes: parking and incoming records delivery areas.

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4.5.2

Flow and movement

The functional relationship / link between various areas of the building, which is described below, has to be taken into account for the layout of the building layout. The graph below indicates the main processes a record has to follow from the arrival at the archive building, until it can be consulted, or which a visitor to the archive will have to follow when consulting a record. 1. Docking area receiving area quarantine room/fumigation chamber sorting room 2. Registration and arrangement/description room laboratory digitization audio-visual collection 3. Office spaces (registration/digitization) staff dining area toilets 4. Storage area (strong room/ordinary storage) 5. Storage staging area reading room 6. Reception area lockers reading room toilets meeting room auditorium gardens

4.5.3

Functions in a National Archive

4.5.3.1 Incoming Records Area This quarantine area could be a separate building or an area within the National Archives building, but needs to be well isolated from the remaining Non-Public Areas to avoid contamination of records in the Non-Public Areas by newly arrived records, which have not received initial treatment. This section of the building should be closed to all visitors in line with national archival regulations. a. Incoming records area This is where the archive materials will enter the first building. Should be accessible by cars and trucks via an elevated platform. Should have direct access to the quarantine room and the initial receiving and sorting-out room. b. Quarantine room Room that requires large fumigation chamber for highly infested new deposits. Should be properly sealed in order to ensure the safety records and personnel. Should have good ventilation system that does not rely on electricity supply alone, including an air exhaust and a fume hood for removing toxic fumes. c. De-accession area Small room for storage of non-selected records that will be eventually disposed of in accordance with national archival policy.

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d. Preliminary cleaning and organization room Relatively large and well-lit room with good natural light and ventilation. Should be able to accommodate several large work tables and storage, and have space for the circulation of personnel and trolleys. e. Supplies room Small storage. 4.5.3.2 Non-Public Area This section of the building should be closed to all visitors in line with national archival regulations. It is to be designed with a storage space to accommodate shelving for up to 156m of boxed records and with the potential of future expansion of the number and/or size of storage rooms to store more incoming documents. The site layout therefore has to consider the most effective site use, taking into account the possibilities for future expansion of the storage rooms. All doorways, rooms and corridors in this area must be wide enough for trolleys to pass. All rooms should have access to natural light, which should be carefully regulated, for example by overhangs and louvres, to avoid direct sunlight and to cool the building. The following spatial functions are required: a. Registration and arrangement/description room Very large space with multiple workstations. Lighting and ventilation should be provided through natural means as well as air conditioning. Room will need space for storage and trolleys. b. Laboratory Cleaning and repairs room that will need shallow and large sinks for treatments, as well as fume hoods. Requires natural lighting and good ventilation, with fire doors. c. Digitization room Air-conditioned and naturally-lit room with several workstations, secured with fire doors. Requires storage space. d. Audio-visual collections room Large air-conditioned room with extensive storage space as well as workspace for digitizing collections. Should have fire doors. e. Store rooms There should be three separated store rooms, which have passive climate control and indirect natural light and ventilation for storing up to 156m of boxed valuable records and with the potential of future expansion to store more documents. They should be secured with fire doors and should be sealed for insects. In addition, there should be a fourth strong room for high value collections. The strong room should be air-conditioned. The walls of the storage rooms should be thick with good insulation to control temperatures and humidity naturally.

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f.

Staging area Area linked to the store rooms and close to the reading room to allow for documents that are taken out of the storage, to acclimatize, and be compiled. This area should have sufficient space for several trolleys and for storage of documents moving between the public and non-public areas. It should have thick insulation and indirect natural light and ventilation. Climate control in staging area should be such that it allows for a transition between store rooms and public areas.

g. Offices and staff utilities Office spaces for up to 15 staff, as well as toilets. Office space can be a mixture between separate office for director and open-plan offices for other staff. h. Server room Small room, air-conditioned to house server, fire-walled. i. Supplies room To store preservation materials, tools, and archival boxes, paper folders etc.

4.5.3.3 Public Area Within the Public Area, there is flexibility for using multi-purpose spaces, where this would make the public areas more user-friendly. While the Public Area should be inviting and easily accessible, it has to be ensured that the movements between the Public and Non-Public Areas of the building can be strictly monitored. The following spatial functions are required in the public area: a. Reception area Public entrance to the National Archives, with reception desk and provisions for computer terminal. There should also be lockers for up to 30 visitors. b. Atrium Bright, well-lit space that could be used for exhibitions or public events. Should be linked from the reception area, the meeting room, auditorium and garden spaces or could be part of a multi-functional public space. Lighting and other fixtures should be such that the space can easily be used for different purposes, including exhibitions. c. Auditorium and Conference room Auditorium space with raised and ranked seating appropriate for lectures or screenings. Should ideally have direct access to the atrium and the garden. Could be integrated in the multi-functional space. Medium-sized conference space that could accommodate meetings, lectures and training sessions. Should be directly accessible from the reception area and atrium. Could be combined with the auditorium space, depending on design. d. Reading room Large space for consulting archival holdings, as well as key library materials arranged on shelving along the walls. Should have tables for up to 30 visitors, with power sockets and lighting. Room should have natural light and ventilation. There should be a separate station that can accommodate up to 5 computers for catalogue searching. This room should also accommodate a reference desk with a small

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holdings area. The Reading Room should have direct but restricted access to the staging area (non-public area). e. Toilets Toilets should be provided for visitors, directly accessible from the reception area. f. Kitchen/cafeteria and storage room Cafeteria space that can be used jointly by the staff and the visitors. While it is not foreseen to have continuous catering, facilities (kitchen, storage) should be provided to allow for catering in the case of public events being organized at the National Archives.

4.6

Area Schedule

The following provisional estimates for the storage rooms - shelving areas have been made based a projected volume of 156m of boxed records. Volumes for other areas of the archives building were estimated based on the expected work-flow and the approximate volume of records that can be processed at a given time.
* Calculation of area for repository Total Linear meter of shelving is calculated with the assumption that normal shelf for document storage is to be 2m high x 0.5 m deep. Required area for shelving including a gang way of 2.4 m is therefore = 136m x (0.5m +0.6m) = 149m Volume of records (m) 156 Width of shelf (m) 0.5 Height of shelf (m) 2.3 length of shelf (m) 136

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Summary of total area required

Item # 1 Incoming records area

Description Total Area Estimate

Area (m)

Total Area 1.350,00 110,00

a) Room for receiving and sorting incoming records b) Quarantine area c) Area for non-selected records d) Area for preliminary cleaning and boxing/filing of records e) Supplies store 2 Non-Public Area a) Room for registering/cataloguing records b) Lab area for cleaning/repairs c) Digitization room d) Audio-visual collections holding area e) 3 Store rooms f) Strong room for high priority records g) Staging area outside store rooms h) Offices for up to 15 staff i) Server Room j) Toilets l) Supplies room 3 Public area a) Reception area b) Atrium c) Auditorium and Conference Room d) Reading room e) Toilets f) Kitchen/Cafeteria and Storage 4 5 Access roads / footpaths Car parking area

25,00 10,00 15,00 50,00 10,00

1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00

25,00 10,00 15,00 50,00 10,00 550,00

60,00 50,00 40,00 50,00 150,00 25,00 15,00 100,00 15,00 25,00 20,00

1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00

60,00 50,00 40,00 50,00 150,00 25,00 15,00 100,00 15,00 25,00 20,00 690,00

50,00 200,00 150,00 150,00 40,00 100,00

1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00 1,00

50,00 200,00 150,00 150,00 40,00 100,00

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4.7

Building Sustainability

It is important that the design is secure, environmentally friendly and accessible to the public. The building design should minimize its carbon footprint, be an attractive place to work and be appropriate to its prominent position in the heart the town. The building is to be designed to be environmentally friendly, with a view of reducing running costs of the building where possible. Service provision in Juba (electricity, water, etc) is currently not available, and green technologies and passive design are to be considered in order to allow for the continued operation of the National Archives, while minimizing the dependency on unreliable resources. Since electricity is unstable and generators/diesel supply not always reliable, the possibility of using solar energy should for example be looked into. Utilization of natural lighting, building position, photovoltaic cells, and reverse cycle air conditioning is preferred depending on a cost versus benefit analysis In order to achieve the best possible storage conditions; the design effort for the building had to consider the development of mechanical systems that provided strict environmental standards in the records storage areas (or stacks). In addition to maintaining stable and constant temperature and relative humidity levels, the removal of damaging particulate materials and gasses from the air is particularly important to the preservation of archival records.

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5 DESIGN PLANNING
5.1 General

In line with the current trends, it is highly recommended for the construction of the National Archive building to opt for low energy use. A main challenge is the temperature in the store rooms. Generally, a low temperature and low (but not too low!) humidity is best for the preservation of the records in a long-term perspective. However, it is recommended to provide for lower temperatures in the store rooms than the outside temperatures (i.e. several degrees lower than outside, but not too much lower) and to allow for stable inside temperatures year-round. Favoring a relatively high average temperature in the store rooms is also important to shield the most used records from the shock of being moved from very cold store rooms to much warmer reading rooms. In addition to the temperature control, it is crucial to be able to keep the humidity at an acceptable level, especially in a tropical climate like Juba. Relatively high ceiling height in the store rooms, combined with air ventilation systems, could contribute to keeping a relatively low temperature. Electricity is of course necessary in the running of the building. There has to be an infrastructure of electricity cables and data cables throughout the building (free-to-air access to Internet in the public area might reduce the need for cabling that part). Since electricity is unstable and generators/diesel supply not always reliable, the possibility of using solar energy should be looked into.

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5.2

Scope of Design Consultants


1. Carryout Detailed topographic as well as geotechnical survey of the area including: Contours @ 1 meter interval (at 1:1000 or 1:500 scale) Watercourses Centerline and banks All existing buildings Any Permanent features Fences and Footpaths Placing of Permanent benchmarks (Concrete foundation with steel pins) Boundary should be permanently marked if necessary at appropriate places Roads Trees Existing services (Electrical/Telecom lines Water pipes, Manholes, Sewers, SubStation) Soil investigation 2. Prepare preliminary / conceptual Architectural plans and design: The consultant shall present a draft brief Master Plan of the area with provision of future extension, the preliminary cost estimate and the architectural plans and related drawings to supplement the design to a meeting to be attended by the Project Board. 3. Detailed site development plan and design with the proposed buildings, existing infrastructure, contours, retaining walls, surface water drainage, parking areas and steps/ footpaths, detailed landscaping. 4. Detailed architectural, structural and MEP designs, after approval of the preliminary drawings from the Project Board, including at least following design components. Design Narrative (design basis) Technical Specification Bill of Quantities Design Drawings Calculations 5. Recommended sustainable construction approaches 6. Submit Progress Reports as per the agreed format and timeframe 7. Attend meetings in Juba, South Sudan as and when required by the Project Board (max one per month)

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5.3

Selection Criteria of Design Consultants

The Design Consultant will be selected on the basis of the maximum number of points a technically compliant bid proposal will score. The proposal shall be in two main parts, namely Technical Component, and Financial Component. The technical component shall be in two parts: the first one shall be the written technical proposal to be submitted together with the financial proposal. The second part will be the presentation of the submitted conceptual design proposal. The presentation shall be made before the Council of Cabinet Ministers of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan. Note: The below selection and evaluation criteria should be read in conjunction with the RFP document for the selection of the Design Consultant. In case of any discrepancies or contradiction between both documents, interpretation of UNOPS should be sought. 1. Technical Component The technical component of the proposal should be concisely presented and structured in the following order to include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following information: a) Description of the Firm and the Firm's Qualifications A brief description of the firm/institution and an outline of recent experience on projects of a similar nature, including experience in the country and language concerned. The bidder should also provide information that will facilitate UNOPS evaluation of the firm/institution's substantive reliability and financial and managerial capacity to provide the services. b) Understanding of the Requirements for Services, including Assumptions Include any assumptions as well as comments on the data, support services and facilities to be provided as indicated in the TOR, or as the bidder may otherwise believe to be necessary. c) Proposed Approach, Methodology, Timing and Outputs Any comments or suggestions on the TOR, as well as the detailed description of the manner in which the firm/institution would respond to the TOR. The bidder should include the number of person-months in each specialization that the bidder consider necessary to carry out all work required. The level of total professional/personnel inputs required has been estimated to be about person-months. d) e) Preliminary design proposal Proposed Team Structure The composition of the team, which the bidder would propose to provide in the country of assignment and/or at the home office, and the work tasks (including supervisory) which would be assigned to each. An organogram illustrating the reporting lines, together with a description of such organization of the team structure, should support the proposal.

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f)

Proposed Project Team Members The curriculum vitae of the senior professional members of the team.

2. Financial Component The separate price component must contain an overall quotation in a single currency, which may be either in US Dollars or in any convertible currency. If the bidder opts for the latter, and for evaluation purposes only, the proposal will be converted into US dollars using the United Nations rate of exchange in effect on the date submissions are due. The price component shall have a cover letter wherein the firm/institution's authorized representative affirms the following: a) b) c) a summary of the price; and detailed price break down covering all activities listed under TOR(please refer to the attached TOR price component sheet) the period of its validity. In preparing the proposal, please note carefully from Annex III the various contract provisions regarding UNOPS policies on limitations on advance payments, retention, performance bonds, etc.

In addition, the price component must cover all the services to be provided and must itemize the following: a) An all-inclusive rate per person-day (including honorarium and living expenses) for each team member to be assigned to the mission in the field and a rate for his/her work at the home office, if any. An all-inclusive amount for international travel and related expenses (indicating number of round trips per team member). An all-inclusive amount for local travel. Other costs, if any (indicating nature and breakdown). Summary of total cost for the services proposed. [N.B.: The remuneration received by the firm/institution and persons performing services for the firm/institution (other than nationals of the host country) normally will not be subject to tax liability in the host country].

b) c) d) e)

The bidder should also indicate any comments or reservations to the draft form contract.

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5.4

Evaluation of Proposals

A three-stage procedure will be utilized with evaluation of the technical component being completed prior to presentations being conducted, and evaluation of the presentations being completed before any price component being opened and compared. The price component will be opened only for those firms whose technical component meets the requirements for the assignment and which are successful at the Technical proposal presentation. The total number of points which a firm/institution may obtain for both components is 200; 60 for the Technical written proposal, 80 for the Technical proposal presentation and 60 for the Price proposal. 1. Written Technical Proposal (60 points) :- The Technical Component, which has a total possible value of [130] points, will be evaluated using the following criteria: a) b) the firm/institution's general reliability as well as experience and capacity in the specific field of the assignment (10 points); the approach in responding to the TOR and the detailed work plan (15 points); and i. ii. c) d) The Bidder should demonstrate to have the capacity and expertise to implement activities in an innovative and effective way (10 points) Detailed and realistic work plan for the duration of the assignment (5 points)

Proposed conceptual design (20 points) the qualifications and competence of the personnel proposed for the assignment for a total of (15 points). The personnel will be rated in accordance with: i. their general qualifications (5 points); ii. suitability for the assignment (8 points); and iii. their language qualifications and experience in the region (2 points). Experience in the country of assignment would be particularly advantageous.

Firms scoring 40 points and above will be shortlisted for the second evaluation stage of presentation of their Technical Proposal to the Council of Ministers.

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2.

Technical Proposal Presentation Component (to the Council of Ministers - 80 points)

The Presentation will be evaluated according to the following criteria which shall demonstrate the firms ability to provide the services referred to herein, including: Esthetics Functional requirement Sustainable design Economy Communication ability Design is esthetically acceptable and it reflects the cultural heritage of South Sudan Design sufficiently addresses the functional requirements Considers sustainable design elements/factors (site utilization, energy and water conservation, indoor and outdoor comfort, etc) Simple design approach which integrates materials that require less maintenance Law firms ability to communicate with the client 20 20 points 20 points 10 points 10 points

Only firms scoring a minimum of 60 points after the Technical Proposal presentation and a total of minimum 100 points for the Technical component will qualify for Financial evaluation. 3. Financial Component (60 points) a) The Financial Component of any proposal will only be evaluated if the Technical Component of that proposal achieves a minimum of 100 points. Proposals failing to obtain this minimum threshold will not be eligible for further consideration. The maximum number of points for the Financial Component is 60. This maximum number of points will be allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion according to the following formula: Points for the Price Component of a proposal being evaluated = [Maximum number of points for the Price Component] x [Lowest price] [Price of proposal being evaluated] The UNOPS/Council of Ministers are not bound to select any of the firms/institutions submitting proposals. Furthermore, since a contract will be awarded in respect of the proposal which is considered most responsive to the needs of the project concerned, due consideration being given to UNOPS's general principles, including economy and efficiency, UNOPS/Council of Ministers does not bind themselves in any way to select the firm/institution offering the lowest price.

b)

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5.5

Design Considerations

A records repository exists to preserve and protect the records stored within it. But it must also provide a safe and comfortable working environment for staff and include facilities to allow researchers to access these valuable records. The environmental conditions within the building, particularly the storage area, need to be appropriate to preserve the archives and to protect them from environmental extremes. Given the above and within the context of site and conditions of Juba in particular, building has to protect the records stored within it from the effects of: high temperature and relative humidity levels; high rainfall levels; high levels of dust, storms and lightning strikes; pest infestations; lack of continuous electricity supply no public water supply

The following additional recommendations are to be considered during design development:

Storage of archived materials should maximize efficiency, utilize building cubic space. Flexibility for change of mission, new materials to be stored, and archival technologies. Provision for growth of records collection vertically and/or horizontally. Compartmentalization of store rooms to limit involved area of catastrophic loss in case of fire or system failure. Fire protection of the stored materials: fire doors for record storage area, sprinklers (in public space only), smoke detectors, hydrants, alarms etc. Safety of staff and visitors: emergency exits, ramps access for people with disabilities to be taken into consideration. Temperature and humidity requirements might vary for different types of materials stored in non-public areas. Contemporary techniques used in green buildings i.e. using air barriers, small opening, creating ducts for fresh air to be blown in and out etc can be explored as alternatives to air-conditioning. . Lighting for store rooms to be appropriate for the preservation of the records. Atrium space to have lighting system adjustable for exhibitions. Controlled access to archive storage areas: design should take into consideration security of the records and limited entry/exit points. Secure and safe loading and receiving areas: separate areas for garbage disposal; storage isolated from bathrooms.

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The building base should be reinforced and laid over a waterproof membrane turned around the sides of the base and specifically adapted to the terrain and to Juba.

Design strategies to achieve sustainability may involve:

Load reduction by integrating the building with the site; adjustment of building orientation and fenestration; optimizing the building envelope (decreasing infiltration, increasing insulation), etc. Correctly sizing the ventilating and air-conditioning systems Installing high-efficiency equipmentmechanical, electrical, and lighting Incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) principles in the site design.

Given the usually large roof and floor areas for this building type, consideration should be given to a green roof design, the application of renewable energy systems such as buildingintegrated photovoltaic systems that generate building electricity, solar thermal systems that Additional consideration should be given to the applications of other distributed energy sources, including microturbines, fuel cells, etc. that provide reliability (emergency and mission critical power) and grid-independence, and reduce reliance on fossil fuel grid power. Consider entrances that do not face uncontrolled vantage points with direct lines of sight and driveway access to the entrance. Utilize site barriers and setback distance, perimeter barriers and blast resistance, access control and intrusion detection, entrance screening, package screening and control, open areas that allow for easy visual detection by occupants, and minimized exposed glazing. Major circulation patterns should be clearly understood and logical. Also include ability to rapidly vent heat and smoke from fires. This may be difficult to achieve for archive and record storage facilities located in basements If the program calls for multistory archive storage, consider impact on fire fighters to access the fire, and to vent heat and smoke from upper stories.

In designing the buildings, the consultant shall apply the highest quality of architectural and technical skills through drawings, details and specifications. All drawings shall be prepared in the metric system and at the required scales to the acceptable design codes and standards; local byelaws and for the construction methods applicable within the context of working in Juba, South Sudan. The Consultant shall prepare Technical Documents and other drawings as specified in the Agreement together with any other related documentation as may be deemed necessary for the Project. Technical calculation and Structure Designs shall be prepared and signed by a qualified Structural Engineer. The Consultant shall also involve the services of any such Specialists and other Technical Consultant as may be deemed essential to carry out the requirements of the Project. Technical data pertaining to Soil Investigations and Site Surveys etc., shall be carried out by the Consultant prior to the designing of the buildings or at least before the technical drawings are made.

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5.6

Design Features
1. Site Layout Plan: Scale 1:200 The following should be indicated: a) Setting out procedure (in relation to an existing landmark or some other means) b) Location of the major buildings in terms of distances, building sizes and orientation in relation to the setting out points. c) Internal Roads layouts, gradients, widths, parking lots, their locations etc, in relation to the building. d) Layouts for landscaping in terms of levels, cut and fill areas, outdoor courts, trees, lawns, paved paths, retaining walls, flower beds etc., together with their location and sizes where applicable in relation to the buildings. e) Water supply scheme with designs and details for water tanks overhead / underground) outlining the specifications for materials, capacity and sizes, necessary fitting required and location of each. f) Sewerage treatment proposal together with specifications of location, materials, sections, sizes for manholes, soak pits, septic tanks etc., as per the number of users.

g) Storm water drainage scheme layout along with specifications for locations, materials and sizes of all major and minor drains. h) Electrification scheme. i) j) Location, security fencing, entrance gates, gate house, link passages etc Other relevant site planning details

2. The Building Plans: Scale 1:100/ 1:50 The following should be indicated: a) Location and sizes of the various rooms, passages, outdoor terraces, courts etc., to cover all floor levels including foundations. b) Location and sizes of structural elements. c) Wall thickness, location of doors windows, staircases, steps, levels etc., together with building materials used. d) Schedules of doors, windows, etc. e) Partition, counters, cupboards and other built-in furniture locations. f) Reflected ceiling plans where applicable, along with material specification and fixing details.

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g) Schedule of finishes and specifications for different areas and surfaces 3. The Building Sections: Scale 1:100/ 1:50 All relevant longitudinal and cross-sections indicating: a) All major changes of levels and building heights, clearly defining the relationship of the various building elements with each other, in terms of vertical heights and the distances to be drawn. b) Heights of basic elements and levels such as plinths, sills, lintels, beams, ceilings, floors, cornices, eaves, cross ties, truss bottom etc. c) Slopes of roof and floors applicable to be defined. d) All materials to be specified. 4. The Building Elevations: Scale 1:100/ 1:50 Basic Elevations indicating: a) Elevation features of doors, windows, clerestory, columns, brackets, railings, roof profiles etc, and showing all external faces of the buildings to be drawn. b) Details of the elevations and corresponding external wall sections, defining the arrangement of various elements whether in different or the same vertical plans etc., along with the building materials used. 5. Construction Details: Scale 1:20 / 1:10 / 1:5 Construction details for all building features indicating: a) Flooring, steps and step guards, sills, railing, lintels, columns, beams, brackets, cornices, ceilings, roofing, plinth protection etc., along with materials to be used. b) Partition walls, paneling, skirting, false ceilings, shelving, counters, cupboards and other miscellaneous built-in furniture along with materials, specifications and hardware to be used. c) Staircase treads and risers and their relation to floor finishes, hand railings and fixing details along with materials and specifications to be used. 6. Toilet Details: Scale 1:20 The following shall be indicated: a) Detail plans and sectional elevations clearly explaining the number, sizes, location and types of all fixtures and fittings i.e water closets, urinals, wash basins, tapes, geysers, towel rails, soap trays, mirrors, floor traps, etc., along with arrangement of tile facing, materials specifications and catalogue reference where applicable.

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b) Layout plans for water supply and drainage lines required for each floor including specification of sizes, necessary fittings and materials. 7. Kitchen Details: Scale 1:20 The following shall be indicated: a) Detailed plans and sectional elevations clearly explaining the location of various fixtures i.e. sinks and drain boards, exhaust fans, etc., along with all materials specifications and catalogue references where applicable. 8. Structural Drawings: Scale 1:100 / 1:50 The following shall be indicated together with the relevant schedules: a) Layout plans with complete centre-to-centre measurements. b) Foundation plan up to plinth level, complete with details for column footings, load bearing walls, partition walls, plinth beams, etc., with sections at various points and supports showing the entire arrangement of reinforcement with full measurements. c) Design and details for retaining walls, breast walls, etc., where applicable, with plans and sections showing the whole structure and complete measurements. d) Design and details for lintels, beams, cornice beams, suspended floors, columns, pillars, posts, struts, brackets, etc., at all floor levels with complete sections showing the entire arrangement of reinforcement for the complete structure together with full measurements. e) Design and details for stair cases with plans and sections at all levels showing the whole reinforcement arrangement with all measurement for stairs, landing, slabs, beams and foundations. f) Details of ceilings, sizes of joists, suspenders and fixing details complete with sections showing the structural arrangement and measurements.

g) Design and details for trusses, purlin, rafters, posts, struts, post plates, etc., complete with sizes, sections and fixing details. h) Design and details of all steel sections with complete measurements, showing the entire structure arrangement, details of connections, etc 9. Electrical Layout: Scale 1:50 The following shall be indicated: a) Internal electrical layout with respect to location and height of fixture/fittings such as light points, switches, switch boards, power outlets, exhaust fans, bulk heads, sub distribution boards, main control board, etc. b) Layout for compound electrification inside plan along with specification of fittings, cables color codes, poles, brackets, etc., as proposed.

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c) Layouts and sections where applicable for cable trenches, cable routes and earthing and its specification / recommendations thereof. d) Single line diagram in respect of main control board and energy meter, sub distribution boards and load circuits. 10. Services Layout: Scale 1:100 The following information as per the manufacturers standard and specification shall be incorporated in all relevant drawings where ever applicable: a) Layout showing the location of security gates and walls with required height clearances, check points, save doors, grills, partitions, special reinforcement, security rooms, etc. b) Location of fire alarm sensors and fire fighting equipments together with provision for installation details as per the manufacturers specifications. c) Layout showing the location of electrical heating / mechanical ventilation equipment

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6 RISK MITIGATION & SUSTAINABILITY


The archive records, visitors, staff and building might be confronted with several types of risks emanating from the potential interaction of various types of hazards (such as fire, pests, storm etc.) with existing constraints and some inherent vulnerability. However, with appropriate mitigation measures in the design and layout of the building, the negative impact of some of the major risks can be minimized and the sustainability of the national archives as a significant institution can be enhanced as described below. a. Location: the site of the building is located next to Freedom Square and several other key sites. Whilst this location is highly suitable for building the first institution enshrining the nations memory, it can face a potential threat of vandalism from protests and demonstrations. Therefore the entrance to the building and its layout should be carefully planned. b. Fire: since archival records are extremely vulnerable to fire damage, mitigation of the fire risk is of utmost importance. Fire can stem from two sources: through electric short-circuiting or kitchen fires from within and outside of the building, especially through the neighboring conference/reception hall. Consequently, the building design should take fire mitigation measures such as fire doors, a water reservoir, compartmentalizing of storage rooms, sand pits and so on. It is to be noted that fire sprinklers may not be suited for areas containing archival holdings. c. Climate: the long-term survival of the archival records, that may contain materials such as paper, photographs, films, audio/video tapes etc., is dependent on good air-circulation and cool and dry climatic conditions. Since there is no public utility for providing electricity, and the ambient climatic conditions are extreme (hot and humid), building design for storage and preservation of archival holdings must ensure: No substantial sudden change in temperature between storage and reading rooms Installation of back up electricity for uninterrupted power good air circulation ( exchange of air through air ducts) thick walls and smaller openings for cooling down the temperature use of building materials and construction techniques that enable a passive climate control provision for certain climate controlled areas as marked in section 5.3

d. Pest infestations: as land termites and other types of pest infestations can threaten the longevity of archival records, a complete termite treatment of the land before building on it should be undertaken. At the same time the building should have features such as termite proof floors, fire-proof as well as termite resistant flush doors, windows etc. e. Storm/strong wind: since strong winds and storms are frequent in the area, the design of openings such as doors and windows should consider their occurrence. The design must take in to account the inflow of dust and insects. f. Drainage: construction of the building should take into consideration the overall drainage of the site and ensure there are no points for water to be retained around the structure. g. Water reservoirs and rainwater harvesting: for mitigation against fire and overall sustainable functioning of the archives, an arrangement for creating water reservoirs on the
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site should be made. At the same time, the building could have some features for harvesting of rainwater, which would help in meeting some of the environmental protection criteria. h. Security: Some of the archived documents may be sensitive and priceless so as to be attractive to vandals and thieves. Measures for prevention of theft and vandalism of items will therefore be necessary .

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ANNEXURE 7.1: Site Layout Plan UNOPS

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ANNEXURE 7.2: Site Topography Plan UNOPS

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ANNEXURE 7.3: A Fire Safety Self-Inspection Checklist Conserve O Gram

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Conserve O Gram
September 2005 Number 2/23

Fire Safety 101: A Fire Safety Self-Inspection Checklist


Introduction
Structural fires can occur at any time. They dont just happen to the other guy. The best way to ensure that NPS facilities are fire safe is through prevention and education. This includes inspections and education of employees, partners, and the public. Directors Order #58: Structural Fire Management (DO #58) and its implementation manual, Reference Manual #58 (RM-58), require your parks Structural Fire Coordinator to schedule annual fire inspections in all NPS and concessions facilities. This is a minimum requirement. But a lot can happen in a year. Dont let an unsafe situation go until the next annual inspection. Conduct your own self-assessments in the interim. The NPS Structural Fire Program has developed a Self-Inspection Checklist to help you. Use the Checklist to conduct your own fire inspections in-between your annual inspections. Note: The Self-Inspection Checklist doesnt replace the required annual fire inspections scheduled by your parks Structural Fire Coordinator. It is a supplement to the annual inspection.

Fire Safety Self-Inspection Checklist


Use the following checklist as a reminder during inspections. List items requiring corrective action on a Notice of Fire Hazard form.

X Satisfactory Life Safety

0 Correction required / Not applicable

Ability to use exit doors is not hampered by security measures during occupancy. Stairwell and hallway fire doors are kept in the closed position. Stairwells and evacuation routes are free and clear of obstructions. Fire escape stairs appear to be in good condition.

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National Park Service

Conserve O Gram 2/23

Emergency lighting units operate when tested. Exterior emergency exit routes are clear and free from snow and ice. Illuminated exit signs are all lit, not blocked, and can be easily seen.

Fire Protection Equipment Portable fire extinguishers are in their proper location and fully charged and tagged. A space of at least 18 inches (457 mm) is kept between sprinklers and materials. Fire hose cabinets are in good order, easily visible, and accessible. Staff training is conducted regularly and documented. Fire detectors are free from obstructions. Sprinkler control valves are open and locked/secured, and dry pipe systems register at normal air pressures. Sprinkler tanks, piping, and supports appear in good condition. Alarm systems function and are tested per NFPA 72. Lightning arrestors appear to be in good condition.

Housekeeping and Storage Rubbish is not left to accumulate in excessive quantities; trash receptacles are emptied regularly. Storage areas are kept clean and orderly; cleaning materials are safely stored. Combustible materials are not kept in unprotected areas, such as a crawl space. Roof scuppers and drains are unobstructed; roof covering is in good condition. Aisles are unobstructed.

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Conserve O Gram 2/23 Hazardous Liquids Emergency measures are posted in case of accidental spills. Flammable/combustible liquids are kept in approved safety containers. Flammable/combustible liquids are stored in an approved cabinet. Safety storage cabinet vents are clear of obstructions. Soiled rags are kept in an approved self-closing waste container. Portable fire extinguishers are in their place and of the proper type.

National Park Service

Exhibits/Collections/Book Stacks Exhibits and collections are not overcrowded. Exhibit case lights do not show signs of overheating. Exhibits are not blocking exit routes and/or access to fire protection equipment. Extension cords are not used. All vertical/horizontal openings in fire barriers are fire-stopped. Salvage equipment and materials are provided and accessible. The fire department is familiar with and has access to these areas. Smoking regulations are enforced with employees and visitors. Temporary wiring conforms to the National Electrical Code.

Auditoriums and Classrooms Safe capacity is posted and enforced. Standing and sitting in aisles is prohibited. Smoking regulations are enforced.

Fire Safety 101: A Fire Safety Self-Inspection Checklist


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National Park Service Restaurants and Eating Areas Safe capacity is posted and enforced. Aisles and exit routes are unobstructed and illuminated. Ranges, hoods, and exhaust ducts are clean.

Conserve O Gram 2/23

Shops/Laboratories/Packing Areas Laboratory wastes are disposed of daily, with the use of appropriate precautions. Electrical equipment in areas near where flammable liquids are in use is explosion proof. Electrical appliances have warning lights and are unplugged when not in use. Employees are aware of special hazards and trained in any special precautions necessary. Entry is limited to authorized persons. Woodworking equipment dust collectors are functioning adequately, and collector bins are emptied regularly. Power tools are unplugged when not in use.

Exterior and Environment All exits, emergency exits, and fire escapes afford unobstructed passage to a safe area. Grounds surrounding the facility are clear of accumulations of combustible material and brush. Fire service access is maintained clear. Fire hydrants and sprinkler system and Fire Department Connections (FDC) are visible, accessible, and operable.

Personnel/Training All staff members know emergency contact numbers and know how to transmit a fire alarm. All NPS employees have received training and are aware of their assigned duties.

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Conserve O Gram 2/23

National Park Service

All staff members have received training in the use of portable extinguishers.

Building Changes Since the Last Inspection Do not interfere with fire detection and/or fire suppression systems. Do not contribute unreasonable fire loading. Do not create vertical and horizontal openings in fire-rated walls and ceilings.

Items requiring action have been noted on a Notice of Hazard form (see Figure 1., below). Area inspected: Inspected by: Date of inspection:

Contacts
For additional information, contact: Park Structural Fire Coordinator Regional Structural Fire Management Officer (SFMO) NPS Structural Fire Program 3833 S. Development Avenue Boise, ID 83705 (208) 387-5203 Local Fire Department

Harold L. Spencer Structural Fire Training & Education Specialist NPS Structural Fire Program 3833 S. Development Avenue Boise, ID 83705 (208) 387-5245 harold_spencer@nps.gov

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National Park Service NOTICE OF FIRE HAZARD

Conserve O Gram 2/23

DATE REPORTED:____________ HAZARD CONTROL NO. ______ AREA WHERE HAZARD WAS NOTICED:______________________ THE FOLLOWING HAZARD WAS NOTICED: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ THE POTENTIAL RISK IS AS FOLLOWS: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ THE FOLLOWING ACTION IS RECOMMENDED: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Reported to: ___________________________ (print name) Reported by: ________________________ (print name)

Figure 1. Form for reporting a fire hazard requiring corrective action.

The Conserve O Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals online at <http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/ cons_toc.html>. For further information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact the NPS Museum Management Program, 1849 C Street NW (2265), Washington, DC 20240; (202) 354-2000.

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ANNEXURE 7.4: Museum Storage Cabinets Conserve O Gram

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July 1993

Number 4/l

Museum Storage Cabinets


Over the years museums have been challenged to find means of storing collections that will provide for their security and proper environment and act as barriers against biological infestation while ensuring easy accessibility. Commercially available or custom-built racks and cabinets, glass cases, steel and wooden shelving, and specialized vaults all have been used to house museum objects . Many museums, as well as the National Park Service, recognize the advantages of using specialized museum storage cabinets for preservation of collections. By properly housing collections in specialized museum storage cabinets, most detrimental influences can be counteracted. Cabinets have these advantages: Exposure to visible light and ultraviolet radiation can be eliminated. Security against theft is enhanced by doors that are equipped with a locking mechanism. A microenvironment is created inside the cabinet. The gasket around the door jamb restricts air flow, thereby significantly reducing dust, pollutants, and changing levels of relative humidity and temperature. The gasket also prevents insects and rodents from entering the unit. The NPS Museum Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90), Chapter 7, provides further information on museum collection storage. There are a variety of sources for museum storage cabinets. Refer to NPS Tools of the Trade for a listing of the types and sources of museum storage equipment. Manufacturers catalogs are excellent guides to the variety of cabinets available and how they
Standard Museum Cabinet

may be used. The NPS Curatorial Services Division can provide source information for acquiring catalogs.

i%e Modular System The NPS has developed a modular system of three primary cabinets for housing museum collections. The three types are illustrated and described below.

Dimensions: 29~ x 32d x 36-7/8h Originally developed as a geology-paleontology cabinet, the standard cabinet has become the National Park Services primary storage container. The heavy duty construction allows for storage of heavier artifacts. It is also suitable for storing nearly all small objects, as well as smaller textile and ethnographic materials. The size of the artifact or specimen to be stored is limited only by the 50 pound maximum load per drawer, the vertical space between drawers, and the dimensions of the drawer (24- 15/16 wide x 30 deep). The

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National Park Service

Conserve 0 Gram 4/l

maximum number of drawers per cabinet is sixteen, although a normal complement is ten drawers.

standard cabinets. Wardrobe cabinets are fullheight cabinets (over six feet) and cannot be stacked. Standard cabinets allow for the use of specialized materials to aid in storing objects. For example, the NPS has designed archival-quality specimen trays that are modular in size and shape and fit compactly and exactly within a standard drawer. NPS has also developed a polyethylene foam drawer pad that fits into the bottom of the drawer and provides a nonskid and nonreactive surface for both the specimen trays and artifacts too large for the trays.

Doublewide

Museum Cabinet

Dimensions: 58~ x 32d x 36-7/8h This cabinet is twice the width of a standard museum cabinet but has the same depth and height. It is used for the storage of lighter objects with larger dimensions, such as study skins, baskets, and large textiles. The wider drawer is suitable for flat storage of fragile textiles that are too delicate to be rolled or hung on padded hangers. Like the standard cabinet, the doublewide cabinet can hold sixteen drawers but the usual complement is ten drawers.

Additional Cabinet Options In addition to the three cabinets in the modular system, other types of museum cabinets are intended for particular collections or for special functions.

Wardrobe

Cabinet

Dimensions: 58~ x 32d x 78h


Visual Storage Case

The wardrobe cabinet has the same footprint as a doublewide cabinet or two standard cabinets placed side by side. The interior is open. The cabinet was designed originally with a closet hanger rod and hat shelf to store garments on padded hangers, but it is adaptable for storing a variety of objects on assemblies designed by the manufacturers. These assemblies include fulland half-width drawers, vertical slots, fixed shelves, and fixed and pull-out rolled storage rods. One of the advantages to using a modular system of storage cabinets is that their uniform size simplifies storage space organization and arrangement. The ability to stack cabinets allows a more efficient use of vertical space. However, there are a few guidelines to follow when stacking cabinets. Both standard and doublewide cabinets can be stacked, but no more than two high. Two standard cabinets are strong enough to support one doublewide cabinet, but a doublewide cabinet cannot support two

Dimensions: 36-3/8w x 16-1/4d x 84h (small) 36-3/8w x 22-1/4d x 84h (medium) 48-3/8w x 22-1/2d x 84h (large) This cabinet allows for the visual accessibility of objects while also providing for safe storage. The cabinet is equipped with lift-off, swinging double doors and a locking handle. Six adjustable shelves are standard with the cabinet. The four viewing panels in the doors may be made of either ultraviolet (UV) light filtering 7 Plexiglas@ or safety glass. A cabinet with UV-filtering Plexiglas should be used when storing light-sensitive objects, such as baskets.
Museum Storage Cabinets

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Conserve 0 Gram 4/l Entomology Cabinet Map Cabinet

National Park Service

Dimensions: 23-3/16w x 20-1/3d x 42-3/4h (counter height) 23-3/16w x 20-1/3d x 84-1/8h (full height) The 42-3/4-high steel unit has 12 drawers on glides. The 84-l/8-high steel unit has 24 drawers on glides. Both have a gasketed door, a locking door handle, and a label holder on the door. Both use Cornell-style drawers, which hold insect pinning trays in a system of modular sizes.

Dimensions: (height varies) 40-3/4w x 28-7/16d (small) 46-3/4w x 35-7/ 16d (medium) 53-3/4w x 41-7/16d (large) The steel map cabinet has large, flat storage drawers and can be obtained through the Federal Supply Schedule or from commercial vendors. It is available in three sizes, but the largest size is generally recommended. The cabinet comes in multiples of five-drawer sections, each section measuring 15-3/8 high. The full height of a map cabinet varies according to the number of 5drawer sections that are stacked upon each other. Experience has shown counter height, usually two stacked sections, to be the most workable. A base and a top complete the unit. The map cabinet is used for storing large historic maps, prints, and documents. For proper protection, the objects are placed in acid-free map folders before storing in the cabinet. Blueprints should be stored separately from other collection objects because of their tendency to off-gas which can be harmful to other materials.
Donald R. Cumberland, Jr. Museum Specialist Curatorial Services Division National Park Service Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Herbarium

Cabinet

Dimensions: 25Y32w x 18-25/32d x 40h (counter height) 255/32w x 28-25/32d x 84-1/8h (full height) This steel cabinet has compartments that are designed to hold r mounted herbarium specimens enclosed in herbarium folders. The 40-high cabinet has 12 compartments. The 84- l/8-high cabinet has 26 compartments. The single door has a gasket, a locking handle, and a label holder.

25425
Revised 1993.

Forlnerlyissued

as Conserve

0 Gram 4/3.

The Conserve 0 Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, FAX (202) 512-2233. For further information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact the National Park Service, Curatorial Services Division, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, (304) 535-6410.

Museum Storage Cabinets


Design Brief

3
Page 53 of 90

ANNEXURE 7.5: Insulated Modular Structure for Storage Conserve O Gram

Design Brief

Page 54 of 90

Number 4/7

Museum Collection Storage Space: Is An Insulated Modular Structure Right For Your Collection?
An insulated modular structure (IMS), such as those manufactured by Bally Engineered Structures (Bally, Pennsylvania) is often used for collection storage in National Park Service (NPS) sites. However, an IMS may not always be the right choice. Occasionally, modular structures have been used in some situations where other options might have been more appropriate. The IMS is usually assembled from panels made of polyurethane foam sandwiched between sheets of galvanized steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. The panels are strong and self-supporting and lock together. In construction, they are similar to large room-size walk-in refrigerators. Bally structures erected inside other buildings at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (West Virginia), and Fort Pulaski National Monument (Georgia), and at several other NPS sites and public museums have been very effective in economically maintaining interior environments that meet NPS standards for the storage of museum collections. For results of tests run on the IMS in each of these parks, see Cultural Resources Management Bulletin, CRM, Volume 15, Number 4 (1992), Collection Storage Making a Case for Microenvironments. Ideally, the decision to use an IMS for collection storage should be the culmination of a careful study of all available storage options. Those options could include converting existing space to collection storage, constructing new storage space using conventional building methods, erecting an IMS, leasing commercial storage space, or arranging for storage in a regional center (e.g. Federal or non-Federal repository). A Collection Storage Plan is a viable way to examine all the options for storing the collection. Regardless of the means decided upon by the park and Region to correct storage space deficiencies, the space must meet the collection storage requirements specified in the Cultural Resource Management Guideline (NPS-28), the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, (Rev g/90), and Special Directive 80-1, Guidance for Meeting NPS Preservation and Protection Standards for Museum Collections (revised 1990) and its accompanying Department of the Interior Checklist for Preservation, Protection and Documentation of Museum Property (As Amended for Use by the NPS). The following factors should be taken into account when considering an IMS for collection storage:
l

An IMS is superinsulated and sealed to tightly control the infiltration and exfiltration of air. It is ideally suited for creating space that can maintain very stable relative humidity and temperature conditions. An IMS is highly recommended for use as a room within another structure, especially when the construction of a new building for collection storage would intrude on the historic scene.

An IMS is particularly useful in a historic building, where environmental conditions maintained for the preservation of the museum collection may conflict with the conditions necessary for preservation of the building itself.

Design Brief

Page 55 of 90

National Park Service An IMS will allow the desired conditions to be maintained inside collection storage space without needing to maintain the same conditions throughout the entire building, thereby avoiding potential damage to historic fabric. See Cultural Resources Management Bulletin, CRA4 Preservation Tech Notes, Museum Collection Storage, Number 1 (1985), for additional information. An IMS can be used outside as a stand-alone structure, but only when properly designed for exterior use. The most important design feature distinguishing an IMS for outside use from one for inside use is the incorporation of an additional roofing system on structures used outside. A structure for outside use also may require added reinforcement for structural strength, wind resistance and snow loading, depending upon its size and the weather conditions to which it could be exposed. An IMS with a roof panel span greater than 17 and used inside another building and an IMS with a roof panel span greater than 14 used outside requires the addition of structural steel supports. Supports can be either internal columns supporting one or more steel beams or web trusses, or external overhead steel beams from which the ceiling panels are suspended. The floor for an IMS, when used inside another building, usually is made of prefabricated floor panels. The panels are simply assembled on the existing floor and shimmed to level. When the structure is used outside, the floor panels must be placed on a level concrete slab raised at least 4-6 above the highest surrounding grade of the land. However, a concrete slab installed with a vapor barrier and rigid foam insulation having an R-value of at least 15 can be used in lieu of the floor panels. Regardless of the type of floor used, care must be taken to ensure that the level of the slab is at least 4-6 above the

Conserve 0 Gram 4/7 highest grade of the surrounding ground and that the joint between the slab and wall or slab and the floor panels is tightly sealed with a long lasting sealant, such as silicone.
l

The load exerted on the floor of a host building by a Bally structure is 4 pounds per square foot (sf) of floor, ceiling, and wall panels. For example, a 10 wide x 10 long x 10 high structure would have a floor area of 100 sf (10 x 10 = loo), a ceiling area of 100 sf (10 x 10 = 100) and wall areas of 400 sf (10 x 10 = 100 x 4 walls = 400) for a total panel area of 600 sf. (600 sf x 4 pounds per square foot = 2400 pounds). Thus, a structure with a footprint of 100 sf would weigh 2400 pounds and would exert a load of 24 pounds per square foot on the floor of the host structure. This weight excludes the weight of any structural steel supports for structures with ceiling panel spans greater than 17. Of course, this weight does not take into account the contents of the Bally structure either. Take into consideration severe weather conditions such as hurricanes and tornadoes. When dangerous conditions can be expected, an IMS should be used only as a room within an existing structure. In such cases, the host structure should be made as weather- and damage-resistant as possible. When circumstances dictate that an IMS is the best means to create collection storage space, but it can be used only outside as a stand-alone structure, it should be designed to withstand the severest conditions expected for that locality.

An IMS can be designed to sustain a maximum wind load of 150 mph and withstand any snow load. However, engineers need to know early in the design process if the building needs to meet special requirements.

2 Museum Collection Storage Space: Is an Insulated Modular Structure Right for Your Collection?
Design Brief Page 56 of 90

Conserve 0 Gram 417

National Park Service

An IMS can be considered no more fireresistant than a building of wood-frame construction. According to literature provided by Bally Engineered Structures, the polyurethane foam interior of their panels will burn, but in the process, it chars instead of melts and therefore tends to insulate, rather than contribute to flame spread. An IMS can be simpler to procure than a conventional building because it is considered to be an item of equipment rather than a structure. Approval to buy equipment normally can be obtained more easily and quickly than approval to construct a building. An IMS can be constructed quickly and, consequently, can be put into service in much less time than a conventional structure. The modular prefabricated panels are simply latched together in very little time. An IMS costs up to 50% less than a conventionally constructed building of the same storage capacity. Once an IMS is designed and the building is received at the park, modifications in the use, design or configuration of the structure should be cleared through the manufacturer. Changing the shape or configuration of the structure or erecting an interior structure outside could cause the structure to lose effectiveness or even to fail. Air conditioning and heating equipment may be needed to achieve optimum interior environmental conditions within an IMS for museum collections storage. See Conserve 0 Gram 4/8, Selecting Environmental Control Systems for Insulated Modular Structures. Typically, many museums and historic structures have problems storing their collections. Objects often are stored in multiple buildings as well as separate rooms where storage conditions are not optimal and security and accountability are questionable. The use of an IMS allows museum staff to consolidate collections in one
Museum Collection Storage Space:
Design Brief

storage facility which can provide both satisfactory environmental conditions and improved physical security. Checklist Use this checklist as a guide to determine whether an IMS meets a parks needs and, if so, what type will be best suited for the site and the collection. 1. Does the park need additional environmentally controlled space to store museum collections? Yes No 2. Does the park have a structure (historic or otherwise) that can be adapted to house the collection storage function in either renovated space or in an IMS? Yes No 3. Is it easier or less expensive to purchase an IMS than to build a conventional structure of the same storage characteristics? Yes No
4.

Can an IMS be erected outside? If so, can it be designed to withstand the severest weather conditions expected? Yes No a. Can the winds exceed the 150 mph maximum wind load of an IMS? Yes No b. Can the IMS be built to withstand the severest snow loads anticipated? Yes No

5.

Will the IMS a. Be of a size to require a reinforced roof (17 feet maximum roof panel span inside and 14 feet maximum roof panel span outside)? Yes No b. Require interior columns and steel beams or trusses for a structure used outside? Yes No

Is an Insulated Modular Structure Right for Your Collection? 3


Page 57 of 90

National Park Service

Conserve 0 Gram 4/7

c. Require external overhead beams for a structure used inside? Yes No 6. If the IMS is constructed inside, will prefabricated floor panels be used? Yes No If not, will the floor be insulated using conventional materials? Yes No 7. If the IMS is constructed outside, can the supporting concrete slab be installed 46 above grade? Yes No

Bally Engineered Structures, Inc. P.O. Box 98 Bally, PA 19503 (2 15) 845-23 11 Gill Marketing 2127 Espey Court Crofton, MD 21114 (4 10) 625-2700 Penn Refrigeration c/o Eagle Marketing P.O. Box 681837 Houston, TX 77268 (713) 320-0591 References

8. For an IMS built outside, a. Will prefabricated floor panels be used? Yes No b. Or will a vapor barrier and rigid foam insulation be installed in the slab? Yes No 9. If the IMS is built inside, can the host structure support the weight load of the IMS, storage equipment and objects to be stored? Yes No

Cumberland, Donald R. Collection Storage Making a Case for Microenvironments. Cultural Resources Management Bulletin, CRM, Vol. 15, No. 4, Supplement. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1992. Cumberland, Donald R. Museum Collection Storage in an Historic Building Using a Prefabricated Structure. Preservation Tech
Notes, Museum Collection Storage, No. 1.

Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1985. 10. Will environmental conditioning equipment be necessary to achieve optimum interior conditions? Yes No Sources Arctic Industries 8207 NW 74th Avenue Miami, FL 33166 (800) 3250123 or (305) 8835581
Donald R. Cumberland, Jr. Museum Specialist Curatorial Services Division National Park Service Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

25425

The Conserve 0 Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, For further Washington, D.C. 20402, FAX (202) 512-2233. information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact the National Park Service, Curatorial Services Division, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, (304) 535-6410.

4 Museum Collection Storage Space:


Design Brief

Is an Insulated Modular Structure Rig& for Your Collection?


Page 58 of 90

ANNEXURE 7.6: Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs Conserve O Gram

Design Brief

Page 59 of 90

Number 4/10

Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs


Determining the specialized storage equipment needed to adequately contain a collection is fundamental to planning your collection storage space. Properly contained museum objects are afforded basic preservation. Proper containment in specialized storage equipment also contributes to organizing, accessing, and securing the collection. Knowledge of equipment needs will help determine the space needed to store your collection. This Conserve 0 Gram will guide you in making a reasonable determination of your collection storage equipment requirements; along with Conserve 0 Gram 4/l 1, Determining Museum Storage Space Requirements, these Conserve 0 Grams prescribe a two-part process useful in planning your collection storage facility. They are supplemental to storage planning guidance provided in the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90), Chapter 7. Follow these steps to determine equipment needs : 1. Take a comprehensive look at the collection material types, quantities, and sizes. 2. Familiarize yourself with the equipment recommended by manufacturers for storing specific object types, such as herbarium materials, insects, garments, geology. Equipment manufacturers have developed cabinets, shelving units, and racks to store virtually any type of object or collection. Descriptions can be found in the companys product literature. See Sources for a list of equipment vendors. Parks can also refer to NPS Tools of the Trade, Release No. 3. See Conserve 0 Gram 4/l for descriptions of common museum storage cabinets.
Design Brief

3.

List the types of equipment needed to store the collection. This stage of the process can be relatively easy if the collection consists of a single type of object, such as herbarium specimens or small archeological objects. It can be more difficult if you have a wide variety of materials. Use the following guidance to determine the number of similar objects that can be accommodated in each piece of equipment. Small three-dimensional objects. A standard museum storage cabinet with a full complement of 16 drawers can accommodate 2,000-4,000 small objects stored in specimen trays. When using the full complement of drawers, the objects must not extend higher than the drawer (drawer height is 17/8) because clearance between drawers is minimal. Wardrobe cabinets equipped with a full complement of half-width drawers will hold four times the volume of a standard museum cabinet. Medium- to large-sized three-dimensional objects. Those objects of exceptional value, significance, fragility or environmental sensitivity should also be stored in the standard museum cabinet. Larger objects will reduce the number you can fit into a cabinet; fewer objects will fit in a drawer and fewer drawers will fit into the cabinet. Be sure to allow enough distance between drawers to prevent the object from scraping against the bottom of the drawer above. Use caution when opening drawers. Large, stable three-dimensional objects. These objects can be stored on steel shelving units. Select a representative sampling from
Page 60 of 90

4.

National Park Service

Conserve 0 Gram 4/10

the sizes of objects to be stored, then estimate the number of objects in each size. Measure the footprint needed for each objects safe storage on a shelf. The footprint is the size of the object plus a cushion of space so adjacent objects dont touch. Calculate the total square footage (footprint multiplied by the number of objects in that size range). Divide that number by the square footage of a single shelf. Do the same for all size ranges. An alternative method is to arrange a representative sampling of objects on a shelf, count the number of objects per shelf, and divide the total number of objects to be stored by the typical number of objects that will fit on the shelf.
Archeological materials.

doublewide cabinet holds 16 drawers, each 52% by 30. A wardrobe cabinet fitted with full-width drawers has the same flat storage space dimensions but holds up to 40 drawers. Store furniture on open shelving. Although shelf size can vary, furnishings are commonly stored on shelves measuring 4 x 8 (the dimensions of a standard sheet of plywood). Typically 8 dining room chairs will fit per plywood shelf. Other furnishings vary greatly in size; you will need to measure the pieces to determine how many will fit on a shelf.
Paper documents. Furniture.

The record storage box (10 x12 x15) is used routinely to store archeological materials and has a volume of approximately 1 cubic foot. The volume of a standard museum storage cabinet is 12.4 cubic feet or approximately 12 record storage boxes of archeological materials.

Individual paper objects are first contained in file or manuscript folders and then stored in either document or record storage boxes. Store the boxed material on steel shelving or in file cabinets. Estimate one linear foot of shelf or cabinet space to every 1600 individual paper items. _I

Maps, blueprints and large documents.

Herbarium specimens. Each compartment of a herbarium cabinet holds approximately 80 pressed herbarium specimens on mounting sheets and in herbarium folders. Firearms.

Store all firearms in locked cabinets. Special gun cabinets provide secure storage for up to 30 longarms. Handguns can be stored in locked standard museum cabinets.
Garments.

Store in flat files. Calculate the number of pieces that will safely fit within a drawer. See Conserve 0 Gram 19/9 for guidance on placing these materials in folders and housing the folders in drawers. Divide the number of pieces for each drawer into the number of maps, blueprints, large documents in the collection. Blueprints require storage separate from other materials because they require an acidic environment. Store documents, prints, and unframed artwork sizes 1lx14 to 2Ox24 in print boxes, then in cabinets or on steel shelving.
Paintings and framed artwork. These

Hang garments in good condition on padded hangers in a wardrobe cabinet. Measure the thickness of the garments on the padded hangers and determine how many will fit into the 52% width of the cabinet interior.
Fragile and smaller garments.

When these require flat storage they can be stored in either doublewide or wardrobe cabinets. A

require special racks, either fixed wall panels, pull out panels in compressed storage systems, or in custom constructed slotted racks. Contact manufacturers to explore costs and appropriateness. Make square footage calculations by grouping artwork in several size categories and multiplying square footage of the size by the number of pieces in that category. Another method to
Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs

2
Design Brief

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Conserve0 Gram 4/10

National Park Service

use with small numbers of artwork is to calculate square footage based on object dimensions taken from descriptions on catalog cards. Once the collection is converted into square footage, factor in a small percentage increase to accommodate the space separating artwork when on the rack. 5. When determining your equipment needs, take into account additional equipment needed to contain any expected growth of the collection. Cabinets, shelving units, and specialty racks that are on hand and in use (provided they are of the appropriate type and the objects are properly placed within them) can be used, optionally, as a basis for determining the number of storage units needed to house uncontainerized materials of the same type. Efficiently store the objects on the storage unit, then simply count the number of objects or determine the volume of objects contained in a single storage unit. You can then convert numbers or volumes of uncontainerized materials into a number of storage units.
NOTE:

Sentry Group, 2166 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 265-0246. Gun Cabinets Browning Prosteel, P.O. Box 977, Provo, UT 84601; (801) 373-2385. High Density Storage Systems Spacesaver Corporation, RR 3, Box 166, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538; (414) 563-6362. White Storage and Retrieval Systems, White Office Systems, 50 Boright Avenue, Kenilworth, NJ 07033; (201) 272-8888. Map and Blueprint Flat Files Foster Manufacturing, 414 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19108; (215) 523-4855. Jebco Inc., P.O. Box 112, Warrenton, GA 30828; (706) 465-3378. Mayline Company, 619 Commerce Street, P.O. Box 728, Sheboygan, WI 53082; (414) 457-5537. Museum Cabinets Delta Designs, LTD., P.O. Box 1733, Topeka, KS 66601; (913) 234-2244. The Interior Steel Equipment Company, c/o Viking Metal Cabinet Company, 5321 West 65th Street, Chicago, IL 60038; (708) 594-1111 (to order); (216) 397-0120 (for information). Lane Science Equipment Co., 225 West 34th Street, Suite 1412, New York, NY 10122; (2 12) 563-0663. Steel Fixture Manufacturing Co., P.O. Box 917, Topeka, KS 66601; (913) 233-8911.

Sources
Art Storage Racks and Panels Charles J. Dickgeisser and Company, P. 0. Box 475, Derby, CT 06418; (203) 734-2553. Crystalizations Systems, 112 Cuba Hill Road, Greenlawn, NY 11740; (516) 261-2878. Fire Resistive Files, Safes, Inserts FireKing International, 10 1 Security Parkway, P.O. Box 559, New Albany, IN 47150; (800) 457-2424 or (812) 948-8400. Kardex Systems, P.O. Box 171, Marietta, OH 45750; (614) 374-9300. Schwab Safe Company, P.O. Box 5088, Lafayette, IN 47904; (317) 447-9470.
Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs
Design Brief

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Shelving Units Federal Prison Industries, Inc., (UNICOR), Metal and Wood Division, 320 First Street NW, Washington, DC 20534; (202) 724-3006. Interlake, 550 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532; (708) 7 19-7077. InterMetro Industries, Thomas and Second Streets, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705; (7 17) 825-274 1.

Donald R. Cumberland, Jr. Museum Specialist National Park Service Museum Management Program Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 25425

The Conserve 0 Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402; FAX (202) 512-2250. For further information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact NPS Museum Management Program, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; (202) 343-8142.

4Design Brief

Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs Page 63 of 90

ANNEXURE 7.7: Determining Museum Storage Space Requirement Conserve O Gram

Design Brief

Page 64 of 90

-DEpAR? onserve 0 Gram mc


Determining Museum Storage Space Requirements
One of the more daunting aspects of planning a museum collection storage facility is determining how much space is needed to store the collection. This Conserve 0 Gram will guide you in making an estimate of your storage space requirements. It supplements information on museum collections storage planning provided in the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90), Chapter 7. To plan collection storage space you must: 1. Determine the storage equipment requirements for the collections. See Conserve 0 Gram 4/10, Determining Museum Storage Equipment Needs. 2. Develop a layout for the equipment within the storage space. 3. Calculate the space occupied by the storage equipment. This process should be useful to park and museum staff responsible for resolving museum storage space and equipment issues and who find themselves in one or more of the following scenarios.
Scenario 1. There is no centralized storage area for the museum collection. Objects are stored haphazardly in a variety of places: on the floor, on top of file cabinets, on multipurpose shelving and in cabinets with non-museum items. You make a decision to establish a dedicated space where the collection can be consolidated and properly stored. How much space will be required? What special equipment is needed?

Number 4/11

layout. Storage equipment was purchased as objects were moved into the room. Objects of different sizes and types are stored together in a variety of equipment. Aisles are irregular making the movement of objects difficult. You make a decision to reorganize the room so the objects are properly stored and more accessible. How do you go about rearranging the space? Your site has an established collection storage area. Additional materials have been added to the collection over the years. The storage room now is overcrowded. You evaluate other spaces at the site. If no on-site space is acceptable, a new facility will be constructed. How do you establish the current and future requirements for space? Do you need additional equipment ? When planning for collection storage space, the following options are usually considered:
l

Scenario 3.

developing new space in a dedicated building adapting another space or building upgrading the space currently used to better meet the needs of the collection

Developing a Layout
Develop one or more layouts of your storage equipment within the proposed storage space. Keep in mind the following as you arrange the space:
l

allow for safe movement of objects and staff throughout the space provide adequate access to the stored collections
Page 65 of 90

Your collection storage area was developed without the benefit of a preconceived
Design Brief

Scenario 2.

National Park Service


l

Conserve 0 Gram 4/11

consider the location of structural features (such as posts, beams, and pilasters) and the impact they would have on the layout consider access to light switches, electrical outlets and panel boxes, fire and intrusion detection sensors

(If you photocopy the templates, make sure your copier will reproduce the original sizefor-size.)

Calculating the Storage Space


Experiment with various equipment layouts on a model floor plan. This will help you determine the size space to consider for a new storage area. Measure the square footage of each layout and average them. Use this calculation for comparing other spaces that you may be considering. Keep in mind the following as you work with various arrangements: Allow a minimum of three feet between rows of cabinets. Four-foot aisles are recommended in order to open cabinets, access objects, and allow safe movement of objects through the aisles. Aisles between rows of large shelving units require four feet; however, six-foot aisles are recommended because furnishings and larger objects require considerable space to maneuver them onto the shelving units. Arrange the same types of equipment together (for example, all shelving units together). This helps organize the collection and allows objects with similar requirements to be stored together. Locate bulkier, heavier objects nearest the largest access doors. This requires less handling and maneuvering within the storage space. The more maneuvering of large, hardto-handle objects the greater the likelihood of damage. Place frequently-accessed objects nearest the reference room, workroom, or office. Stack counter-height cabinets two units high. To avoid confusion as you make your drawing, use specific designators in the legend of the drawing to indicate the difference between stacked cabinets and single cabinets.
Determining Museum Storage Space Requirements

develop a layout, use scale drawings equipment. Accurate dimensions for can be found in the vendors product Park staff can refer to NPS Tools of the Trade, Release No. 3. Arranging the space to scale will illustrate spatial relationships between the equipment and the space and allow workable layouts of the equipment to be planned. Use one of the following methods for drawing the space to scale:
l

When you of storage equipment literature.

The most accurate method is the use of a computer-assisted-design (CAD) software program. CAD programs are readily available from software manufacturers and dealers. Most brands should work acceptably. One commonly-used brand is AutoCAD@ developed by AutoDesk, Inc., 111 McInnis Parkway, San Rafael, California 94903. An alternate method is to cut out scaled drawings of the equipment from graph paper. Make sure the cut-outs are accurately scaled to a drawing of the storage space that can be on graph paper as well. The use of graph paper and scaled cutouts is inexpensive, nontechnical, and requires no familiarity with computers and CAD programs. However, this method may be more time consuming to create and use. A template is provided on page 4 that depicts commonly used museum storage equipment drawn to the scales of l/4 = lO, l/8 = 10 and l/16 = 10. Photocopy or trace the storage units you require and arrange them on graph paper scaled to the size of your space.

2
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Conserve 0 Gram 4/11


l

National Park Service

Reduce the square footage required to store the collection by using high density storage systems that compress aisles. Reduced square footage requirements must be weighed against increased cost and heavier floor load requirements.

The process of space planning for your museum storage facility need not be difficult. The goal is simple: develop the equipment layout that works for the collection and the staff, a layout that is safe for both objects and people, meets your access needs, and contributes to the care and preservation of the collection.

Donald R. Cumberland, Jr. Museum Specialist National Park Service Museum Management Program Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 25425

The Conserve 0 Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402; FAX (202) 512-2250. For further information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact NPS Museum Management Program, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; (202) 343-8142.

Determining Museum Storage Space Requirements


Design Brief

3
Page 67 of 90

Museum Storage Equipment Template


SCALE OF FEET: l/4 = 10

SAR

MAP ~

SCALE OF FEET: l/8 = 10 ~STD~ISTDISTD~STDISTDII DBW /I WARD ImHm STD/S = NPS Standard Museum Cabinet - 29 x 32 DBW/D = NPS Doublewide Museum Cabinet - 58 x 32 WARD/W = NPS Wardrobe Museum Cabinet - 58 x 32 HERB/H = NPS Herbarium Museum Cabinet - 29-l/8 x 19-l/8 ENTO/E = NPS Entomology Museum Cabinet - 21-3/4 x 22-3/4 SSU = Steel Shelving Unit - 18 x 36 SAR = Slotted Angle Rack - 96 x 48 MAP/M = Map Cabinet - 53-3/4 x 41-7/I 6 GUN/G = Gun Cabinet - 30 x 24-l/2 VCS/VS = Small Visual Storage Case - 39-l/2 x 16-5/8 VCM/VM = Medium Visual Storage Case - 39-l/2 x 22-5/8 VCL/VL = Large Visual Storage Case - 51 -l/2 x 22-5/8 IF/F = Insulated File (Fire-resistive File) - 20-3/4 x 32-15/16

SCALE OF FEET: l/l 6 = 10

q lslslslsllrqmQm

Design Brief

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ANNEXURE 7.8: Planning a Research Space Conserve O Gram

Design Brief

Page 69 of 90

0 Gram
August 1998 Number 4/14

Planning A Research Space


All parks and centers with museum objects, archival collections, or library collections should have a research room or space. It is a dedicated workspace within a museum where researchers (both within and outside the Service) may access, examine and studv collections. Conditions within this dedicated space should protect and preserve the objects during research the research function. Combining research space with space occupied by other functions makes securing and preserving the collection during research more difficult. It may be harder to control the environment to the appropriate levels for object preservation and harder to secure the objects if more people are routinely and frequently using the space.

Research Space Criteria


Research space should: Be dedicated to the researcn runction Provide appropriate security for the collection Provide environmental controls adequate to prevent damage to the objects Be large enough to accommodate the needs and equipment of researchers using the collection now or in the future Be convenient to staff offices, collection storage space, researcher staging area, restrooms, curatorial work area, and/or laboratory Be accessible by persons with disabilities Have electrical, phone service and any other pertinent utilities necessary to meet the needs of the research function and satisfy all applicable codes (both national and local codes) Each of these criteria will be discussed in more detail below.

Security
Security of the collection during research is a major concern. Theft, defacement and destruction of documents or objects can occur. The level of security is based on an assessment of the risks to the collection. See NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Chapter 9, Museum Collections Protection for security standards and specifics on performing a risk assessment. Some collections may have low inherent risks because they are of low value, commonly available, and have low demand by the general public as collectibles. Collections of low risk may require only basic security measures. Other collections with higher risk would require more stringent security measures, such as continuous monitoring by staff. Examples of high risk collections include coinage, postage stamps and firearms because they are generally of high value, significance, and collectibility. Archival/manuscript collections require more stringent measures because they are not cataloged at the item level, so loss of missing items is more difficult to prove. Trained research room staff must continuously monitor all researcher use (including staff use) of archival collections if they are to remain secure.

Dedicated Space
Other functions (such as collection storage, curatorial or common-use staff work areas), generally are not included in the same space with

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National Park Service Ideally, research space should be observable from staff offices or work areas. Consider the use of a wall with glass windows. For collections with extremely high value, consider the installation of a video camera monitoring system to continuously view or record researcher use of the collection. Establish procedures to ensure that staff routinely monitor the space or review the video camera recordings noting irregularities. Researchers must sign in on the visitor log, which includes date, time in/out, name, organization, address, phone number, area of interest. Researchers should also complete the Researcher Registration Form (NPS iMuseum Handbook, Part II, Appendix D) . The structure housing the research space should have appropriate intrusion and fire protection/suppression systems as determined by a risk assessment. The space should have limited entry/exit pointspreferably the minimum number dictated by life safety codes for the size of the space. A small room may require only a single door that is a minimum of 36 wide. It may be a double door if larger objects require entry.

Conserve 0 Gram 4/14 research, provided the objects can be safely acclimatized to those conditions. Objects stored in specialized cold conditions, _ such as nitrate, color, and black and white photographic materials, should be acclimatized to the conditions of the research space. You may remove metal objects from dry/desiccated s conditions (below 35% RH) for short periods of time for research without damage. Be sure to return objects to storage as soon as possible after research use. Maintain light levels that do minimal damage to objects. Lights should be UV filtered to limit damage to sensitive objects. Sunlight should be excluded from the space.

Space Issues
Research space for large, frequently researched collections may occupy as much as 25 % of the combined storage and work space (exclusive of exhibition space) in the facility. However it is more common for the research space to take about 10 % of the space. Research space should be adjacent to or close by curatorial offices, collection storage and curatorial workspace in order to limit the distance objects must travel from one location to the other. A staging area should be established outside and in close proximity to the research space to accommodate the needs of the researcher. The staging area is used to check, store and secure the researchers outer garments, handbags, briefcases, containers, and packages while research is conducted. These items should not be brought into the research room. Research on large, heavy or unwieldly objects, such as architectural fragments or cannons may, with proper supervision, occur at the location where the objects are stored.

Environmental Conditions
Conditions in research space should not contribute to object deterioration. See NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Chapter 4, Museum Collections Environment for standards and guidance on achieving appropriate environmental conditions. Dont subject objects to rapid changes in temperature and relative humidity (RH) when removing them from storage. Temperature and RH conditions in the research space should be kept close to the same general temperature and RH levels as in collection storage space. In many instances research space controlled to human comfort levels (70F and 55% RH) would exert minimal risk to the majority of objects during

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Conserve 0 Gram 4/14

National Park Service Disabilities Act of 1990. will have:


l

Equipment for Research Space


Consider
l

Specifically

the space

furnishing

the research space with:


l l

One or more large work or library tables (36 x 72 to 48 x 96) or desks (36 x 60) with an appropriate number of chairs or folding tables that can be set up as needed if space is limited. Work surfaces should be clean, washable, stable, well-lit, and three times larger than the largest materials being researched within the space, so that researchers can work with groups of materials for comparison purposes. A fume hood and sink with water supply, if applicable, for use with wet and dry natural history collections Videotape and audiotape playback equipment microfilm or microfiche reader/printers, computer with modem, typewriter and TV/VCR, if applicable. These pieces of equipment could be placed on mobile carts. Also make available dollies, carts, and book trucks for moving objects. These pieces of equipment, however, are generally not housed in the research space. A small reference library, including dictionary, atlas, encyclopedia, thesaurus, Whos Who type bibliographical dictionaries, finding aids, and other standard reference works on a bookshelf A bulletin board to display policies and procedures A hat and coat rack or locker and equipment stand for checking, storing and securing the researchers outer garments, handbags, briefcases, containers and packages while research is conducted. This equipment should be located in a staging area, the curators office or the curatorial workroom, not in the actual research space.

l l

Passageways a minimum of 36 wide Doors a minimum of 32 wide Ramps, if a change in floor level exceeds l/2 inch Elevators, if the building is multi-story Platform lifts, if the installation of an elevator is impractical

Utilities
The following utilities are needed for the research space functions: Outlets for task lighting and to run electronic equipment, such as laptop or desk computers. Outlets should be adjacent to the work surface that the researcher uses. Electrical service must meet local and national codes. Phone service with appropriate jacks to allow a computer local area network to be established if access to object descriptions in the museum catalog is to be provided Vent ducts if a fume hood is needed for research on natural history materials Hot and cold water supply lines if a sink is needed for research on natural history materials

Planning for Research Space in a New Facility


Work with key professional staff (architect, museum curator, archivist, conservator, museum specialist, librarian, and contractor) who can provide planning and assistance. Key professional staff may be found in the park, the support or cluster office, the regional office, or a program center office. Define your specific needs. Space must meet the primary criteria indicated above. If you are forced to reduce space in a new building and must combine research space with

Access for Researchers with Disabilities


Access to the research space must meet all requirements as specified in the Americans with

Planning a Research Space


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National Park Service

Conserve 0 Gram 4/14

other activities, select compatible functions, such as library space, curatorial work space or staff offices. These spaces must be able to accommodate adequate work surfaces and allow staff monitoring of the researcher.

and a risk assessment determines the impact on object preservation and security is minimal. If research does occur in the collection storage room or if some objects are stored in the research room, objects can still receive a degree of security by storage in locked museum cabinets or in sealed containers on shelving. Cabinets and sealed containers will also buffer the immediate microenvironment around the object and reduce environmental deterioration of the object. The park staff should continuously monitor all research work in the collection storage space. If the park doesnt have enough staff that can be devoted to supervise researchers, explore other options. One option is to have research conducted in spaces constantly occupied by staff. Establish procedures and train staff to give attention to the activities of the researcher. Another option is to allow research only when staff is available. Arrange research appointments at a time when the researcher can be adequately monitored. See NPS Museum Handbook, Part III, Appendix D for more guidance on planning a research space.

Upgrading Your Facilityfor Research Space


For planning research space in an existing facility, you should work with key professional staff who can examine your particular situation and provide guidance and planning assistance. Ensure that the space meets the primary criteria as indicated above. If your situation is such that you cannot meet some or all of the primary criteria, you should begin planning to correct deficiencies or upgrade facilities to meet the criteria. It may be necessary to upgrade facilities or correct deficiencies in stages or increments if total costs to correct deficiencies are more than funding amounts allocated annually. If you dont have enough space to make a separate research area, low-cost immediate improvement can still be made. The park can create a separate workstation or research space in a curatorial office or work space. The park may also consider sharing research space with related non-museum activities, such as a library reading room, provided the non-museum space is convenient to the museum storage space. Consider research activities in collection storage space as a last resort if no other space is available

Donald Museum Museum National Harpers

R. Cumberland, Jr. Specialist Management Program Park Service Ferry, WV 25425

The Conserve 0 Gram series is published as a reference on collections Mention of a product, a management and curatorial issues. manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402; FAX (202) 512-2250. For further information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures addressed in the series, contact NPS Museum Management Program, 1849 C Street NW (NC230), Washington, DC 20240; (202) 343-8 142.

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ANNEXURE 7.9: Storage Furniture Preservation Advisory Centre, British Library

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Preservation AdvisoryCentre
Storage furniture

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The Preservation Advisory Centre has been awarded the CILIP Seal of Recognition based on an independent review of the content of its training courses and its engagement with the CILIP Body of Professional Knowledge.

The production of this booklet has been supported by Collections Link www.collectionlinks.org.uk

The Preservation Advisory Centre is supported by:

ISBN 978 0 7123 0488 7 Author Jonathan Rhys-Lewis, ACR Consultant in Preservation and Collections Management Design The British Library Design Office
First published June 2007 as Specifying library and archive storage Revised August 2012

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Library and archive storage furniture


Introduction
Without the establishment of secure and well maintained accommodation, incorporating appropriate high-quality storage furniture and materials, all other actions to preserve library and archive collections will have limited impact. Most library and archive collections will spend a much greater proportion of time in storage than in any form or use (such as reading rooms or exhibitions), so it is important that storage strategies are prominent in the overall preservation strategy. At its broadest storage must encompass the building, environment, storage furniture, packing materials and housekeeping routines. This booklet focuses on furniture and equipment for storing physical library and archive collections. The principles apply whether improving or refurbishing existing storage facilities or building new storage facilities, whether you are considering off-site storage, shared storage or outsourced storage. The guidance is relevant to both small and large organisations.

Storage options
Storage should support the purpose, functions and range of activities within an organisation, and will be determined by the following factors: acquisition, disposal, retention, format, condition and access to the collections, as well as sustainability, cost and resources for their management. Before considering what type of storage furniture to use and how it is arranged, think about the storage envelope. There are many options: in-house or off-site, commercial or shared facilities, instant access or dark storage. Warehouses, underground facilities, purpose-built pods, converted buildings and bespoke stores are all now commonly used to store library and archive collections. Whether old or new, adapted or purpose-built, buildings that store library and archive collections should, as far as possible, conform to current standards. For library and archive materials these are detailed in PD 5454:2012 Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials. The primary issues to consider are:
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Location Construction Environmental stability Security Fire supression Protection against water.

A risk assessment should be carried out to evaluate the suitability of a building for storing library and archive collections. This process will highlight potential threats and provide a sound basis for their ongoing management. Consideration should also be given to levels of use of the collection and access requirements.

Space management
The way in which storage space is managed, calculated and apportioned for the different formats is very important. The layout of storage furniture must ensure efficient and economic use of the available space. The processes of calculating and managing the space will require close collaboration with buildings staff, and where appropriate, architects. Standardisation is a key requirement for the optimization of space; the shelving configuration must reflect the formats and sizes of the collection material. As a general rule, shelving capacity should be expressed as linear metres and the generally accepted standard shelf length is 1 metre. To make optimum use of space, books of a similar size should be shelved together. For archival material, packaging and box sizes can also be standardised if the collection is fairly uniform. Ideally a size should be chosen and used as standard which will make best use of the storage capacity. Material that will not fit in the selected standard size, either because it is too large or too small, will need to be stored at another location. The future growth of collections must be considered during the planning process. Precise calculations may be possible for fairly static collections but for others only estimates can be provided. A minimum expansion capacity of 20 years is recommended1.

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Collection formats
The choice and configuration of storage furniture will be influenced by collection format. A library or archive may need to accommodate a range of different sizes, shapes and materials, but in general terms, there will need to be appropriate storage for: Books and bound documents Boxed archives Large flat items (this may include large books that must be stored flat) Rolled material Photographic material Magnetic media Gramophone discs Digital media (hand-held) Framed material (paintings, prints, drawings etc).

Environmental targets may vary according to format and condition. It may also be possible to store material by size/shape; if so, the process and the management of space becomes easier. This is heavily dependent on a high standard catalogue and location system. In this case different formats can be allocated to specific areas and the storage furniture chosen and arranged accordingly, using appropriate shelf depth, height and shelf intervals or special storage furniture such as plan chests.

Storage furniture
In general terms, the storage furniture options for library and archive collections are as follows: Shelves to accommodate standard boxes Shelves to accommodate books stored upright Deep shelves for large flat documents or books Plan chests for flat maps, plans and documents Deep shelves for rolled material Wall-mounted racking for very long rolled items.

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The following table suggests appropriate storage furniture for a range of common library and archive formats. Format Archival documents (maximum foolscap2) Archival documents (larger than foolscap2) Books (average size) Books (large or heavy )
3

Storage furniture Shelving Deep shelving or plan chest Shelving

Depth 450mm 500 600mm (shelving) 965mm (plan chest) 350 400mm

Deep shelving and frequent 500 600mm shelf intervals (shelving may 750mm for exceptionally be roller-fronted) large material Flat storage, no more than 3 items high Deep shelving and frequent 500 1000mm (shelving) shelf intervals or plan chest 965mm (plan chest) Deep shelving and frequent shelf intervals Shelving or cabinets Shelving or cabinets Shelving or cabinets 1500mm 450mm (average archival box depth) 450mm (average archival box depth) 450mm 450mm

Large flat material Rolled material (up to 1500mm long) Photographic material Magnetic media Gramophone discs

Digital media (hand-held) Shelving or cabinets Framed material (paintings, prints, drawings etc) Purpose-designed vertical (and sliding) racking or static deep shelving with close shelf intervals or plan chests

2 3

216 x 343mm Generally, books over 450mm high should be stored flat. Design Brief
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Shelving
The most effective way of protecting the collections and ensuring the most economic use of space is through good use of shelving. PD 5454:2012 specifies that shelves should be of a size and shape that fully supports the archival materials that they are intended to hold, while leaving sufficient space for the contents to be easily and safely withdrawn or replaced4. Shelving can come in many forms and the choice may depend on the resources available: Proprietary office shelving in wood or metal Tailor-made shelving specially integrated into the building fabric Wooden shelving Metal shelving Heavy-duty industrial metal shelving.

Proprietary office shelving may be suitable for some collection material but may have a restricted range of sizes and components. Tailor-made shelving is more commonly found in libraries and requires individual planning. Wooden, metal and heavy-duty industrial shelving are the most common types of shelving found in libraries and archives and are usually available in the following formats: Static/free-standing Mobile Wall-mounted. Generally, it is not advisable to store material (especially unprotected material) on wall-mounted shelving in close proximity to external walls, and the resultant lack of air circulation, increases the risk of damp and the associated risks of mould and insects. The maximum height of the shelving will be controlled by the shelving construction and the ceiling height. Adequate clearance should be allowed for fire detection and suppression systems, and shelving canopies. For health and safety reasons, the height of the highest shelf should be such that it can be reached with ease by a person of

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normal height, unless suitable arrangements are made for the safe retrieval of items from a greater height. In most cases, this will mean manual handling training for staff and the provision of appropriate equipment ladders and/or lifting devices. One solution is to mark all shelves over the manual handling limit in a different colour (usually red), to make it clear when extra equipment is required. All shelving suppliers should provide clear signage to ensure that shelving is used and loaded appropriately. The minimum height of the lowest shelf should be 150mm from floor level. This will minimise damage by passers-by and from water in the event of a flood.

Wooden shelving
There is much professional discussion about using metal shelving as opposed to wooden shelving. Good quality wooden shelving that has been in place for a number of years should not be regarded as high risk. The primary concerns regarding wooden shelving are: Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from the wood itself and/or coatings5. Widespread use of Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) containing residual. formaldehyde (a VOC). Vulnerability to insect attack. Combustibility. The risk of damage caused by VOCs can be reduced by placing acid-free board/paper or MicroChamber paper on each shelf.

Metal shelving
The primary concerns regarding metal shelving are: Variable quality of manufacture. Risk of rust in poor environmental conditions. Risk of buckling during a fire.

For more information refer to Ttreault, J., Coatings for display and storage in museums Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute, 1999 Design Brief
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Metal is seen as an archival industry standard (especially for mobile shelving) and has a stringent specification within PD 5454:2012. It is usually manufactured from steel that has been powder-coated with enamel paint that does not off-gas6. Loading capacities should be confirmed with the supplier.

Static shelving
The advantages of static shelving are: Widely available and cheap. Can be constructed and adjusted by staff. Useful for material that is at risk on mobile shelves (fragile formats such as glass-plate negatives or gramophone discs). Useful for heavy/large format items that require deep storage. The disadvantages of static shelving are: Requires aisles between facing runs, so does not maximise the use of space. There are many suppliers, so difficult to ensure standardisation.

Mobile shelving
Generally metal in construction, sometimes with plywood shelves. Produced as manually assisted (hand-driven) or electric powered. The advantages of mobile shelving are: Maximisation of storage capacity within a given area. Reduction in the number of access aisles required. Improved security as bays can be locked. Shelf sizes that are standardised for library and archive collections.

Finely divided, synthetic polymers are fused onto the steel to produce a chemically stable finish. Design Brief Page 83 of 90

The disadvantages of mobile shelving are: Requires either a track sunk into the floor (complex, and costly) or a false floor (which may reduce the overall height available for the shelving). Not always appropriate for installation on storeys above ground level. It is vital to check that the location is suitable for mobile units and that all floor loadings are confirmed. Requires regular maintenance to ensure that mechanical function and health and safety considerations are met 7. Long runs can be prone to snaking and instability (this needs to be discussed with the supplier and included within the shelving specification). Older units can slip the rails (dangerous and costly to remedy). It is not recommended that old mobile units be dismantled and reassembled elsewhere. Not appropriate for fragile material formats (such as glass-plate negatives or gramophone discs) because of the risk of damage or displacement due to the impact of two shelves meeting or protruding material becoming crushed. Unused areas of the collections remain in closed and dark spaces this can encourage moulds and insects in poor environmental conditions8.

Special storage furniture Plan chests


Plan chests are used to store large flat material, especially items that will not fit into the standard size storage boxes. A good quality plan chest can be a real asset and serves to protect flat material and eases retrieval and replacement. They can be made of metal or wood. The following issues need to be considered: Standard of carcass construction robust, but lightweight (usually aluminium) and ideally fire resistant.

7 8

Refer to PD5454:2012 6.12.5.3 Mobile shelving, movement of runs, stability. Many organisations instigate a cyclical programme of opening unused areas overnight to encourage air circulation. Design Brief
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Manufacturers should be able to supply a range of drawer sizes. It is better to have more shallow drawers than a few deep, over-filled ones. Rigid drawer construction required for support when open and filled. Anti-tilt mechanism required. Allow space for opening drawers and retrieving items. Check floor loadings are adequate for chests when full. Drawers require security locks if chests are located in public areas. Chests may need to be raised on a plinth to ensure that collection items are stored above floor level and so protected from floods. Chests are not usually designed to be stacked.

Hanging storage chests


Upright, hanging storage chests are commonly used for the vertical storage of maps, plans and drawings. The main advantage of this form of storage is the economic use of space, but there are a number of concerns: The standard of construction and materials used in construction. The availability of an access panel at the base to retrieve fallen items. Complicated hanging support structures can make it difficult to remove and replace individual items. Risk of damage from the method of hanging, which may involve attaching a self-adhesive strip to the item (the strip has holes punched to receive the hanging supports). This method should only be used for low value items. Chests are often over-filled due to overall space restrictions. High risk of damage during retrieval. An alternative hanging system has been developed in which items are placed in polyester sleeves (Melinex or Mylar ) and the sleeves hung on supports. In general terms there are few risks to this method of storage it is just the retrieval process that can cause difficulties.

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Cabinets
In some organisations a more aesthetic arrangement is required, which enables collections to be seen but secure. The solution, common in historic libraries, has been to store books in glazed wooden cabinets. Whilst this solution achieves the objective, it does present some specific preservation problems. Dark, poorly ventilated cabinets can favour mould growth and encourage insects in poor environmental conditions. Condensation may form on the glass if the environment is unstable, and the glass may be easily shattered. If possible cabinets should be moved away from external walls and, if necessary, ventilation holes made in the back to increase air circulation. Glass can be replaced with a safety standard version or a security film applied to the glass surface to guard against shattering. Glass can also be replaced with decorative grills. Although less aesthetic, metal cabinets can also provide secure storage and protection from light, fire and water damage. For more detail see PD5454:2012.

Conclusion
Appropriate storage is vital for the long-term preservation of collections. As part of long-term preservation planning, organisations should review existing storage provision, evaluate current and future storage needs, and specify appropriate storage furniture. It is strongly recommended that PD 5454:2012 Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials is consulted.

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Online resources
BREEAM: sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation and has become one of the most comprehensive and widely recognised measures of a building's environmental performance. www.breeam.org Designing libraries: a freely accessible resource for library planning and design, a database of library buildings and a marketplace for services. www.designinglibraries.org.uk IFLA PAC, Energy Savings and preservation in libraries and archives, International Preservation News, No.55, 2011 www.ifla.org/files/pac/ipn/IPN%2055%20web%206%20megas.pdf IFLA PAC, Library and archives facing the challenges of sustainable development, International Preservation News, No.44, (2008). http://archive.ifla.org/VI/4/news/ipnn44.pdf MAPLE: Major Archives Projects Learning Exchange www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/projects-and-work/majorarchives-projects-learning-exchange.htm National Archives, Identifying and specifying requirements for offsite storage of physical records, The National Archives, 2009 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-management/considerationsfor-developing-an-offsite-store.pdf National Institute of Building Sciences, Archives and Storage Record building www.wbdg.org/design/archives_records.php National Preservation Office, Where shall we put it? Spotlight on collection storage issues: papers given at the National Preservation Office Annual Conference 2004 http://www.bl.uk/blpac/pdf/conf2004.pdf

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Additional reading
Kitching, C. S, Archive buildings in the United Kingdom 19932005, Chichester: Phillimore, 2007 PAS 197:2009 Code of practice for cultural collections management, London: British Standards Institution, 2009 PAS 198:2012 Specification for managing environmental conditions for cultural collections, London: British Standards Institution, 2012 PD5454:2012 Guide for storage and exhibition of archival documents, London: British Standards Institution, 2012 Ttreault, J., Coatings for display and storage in museums Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute, 1999 Wilstead, T., Planning new and remodelled archival facilities, Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2007

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Preservation guidance booklets


The following booklets can be downloaded free of charge at www.bl.uk/blpac/publicationsleaf.html . Free printed copies are also available. Basic preservation for library and archive collections Building blocks for a preservation policy Cleaning books and documents Damaged books Guidance for exhibiting library and archive materials Managing pests in paper-based collections Managing the digitisation of library and archive materials Managing the library and archive environment Managing the preservation of library and archive collections in historic buildings Packing and moving library and archive collections Photocopying of library and archive materials Preparing funding applications for preservation and conservation projects Prevention and treatment of mould outbreaks in collections Preservation of photographic material Library and archive storage furniture Understanding and caring for bookbindings Using library and archive materials The Preservation Advisory Centre promotes the benefit of good preservation practice and provides support in the form of information services, training and preservation management tools. www.bl.uk/blpac

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Document Information
Document circulation
Organisation Name of organisation Department Department name Person Full name Title Job title

Publication information
Date 14-01-2013 05-02-2013 14-03-2013 23-03-2013 24-03-2013 26-03-2013 27-03-2013 12-04-2013 29-04-2013 Name Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz Rasul Title Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Version Initial Draft 1 Revised Draft 2 Revised Draft 3 Revised Draft 4 Revised Draft 5 Revised Draft 6 Submission for Project Boards Approval Final Draft Approved Document

Contact information
For more information on this document, please contact:
Mr. Jan Raats Director Email:JanAR@unops.org

UNOPS South Sudan Operations Center Email: info@unops.org To learn more, visit www.unops.org

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