In my experience access to maps in vertical hanging cabinets is far easier than accessing maps in drawers. Also more damage has been sustained by plans which have been retrieved frequently from drawers than those which are hanging in vertical storage cabintes.
When servicing a busy search room it makes far more sense to flick through a hanging cabinet reading off information inscribed on the hangers, rather than undertake the two person job of unloading a drawer to retrieve a map which is invariably at the bottom. And speed and ease of access does have to be a factor - at the risk of spreading professional heresy, we are providing access to material for this generation as well as preserving it for future ones!
Perhaps one could compromise; the more fragile items stored flat, the more heavily used, the replaceable (eg OS maps) and facsimiles kept in vertical map cabinets.
Martin Taylor
senior assistant archivist
Hackney Archives Department
>>> Andrew Cook <[log in to unmask]> 10/16 3:01 pm >>>
I would counsel against vertical hanging storage for maps. The India
Office Records used them for some years, until I could get rid of
them. Problems of accessibility of contents, of risk of damage when
maps fall unnoticed to the floor of the cabinet, and of self-adhesive
tape offcuts attaching themselves to the plans. But factors which may
carry greater weight with management are (1) the need to buy
specialist equipment (and house it on a workbench) to affix the
(expensive) hanging strip, and (2) the staff (conservator) time to put
all the maps and plans through this process without which they lie
around loose.
Until you can get more repository space, could you build upwards on
your existing footprint? 36-40 horizontal drawers in 2 to 2.5 metres
height is not unworkable, and can provide storage while also
demonstrating the need for more space. You can't stack vertical
filing cabinets either.
HTH
Andrew Cook
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dr Andrew S Cook [log in to unmask]
Map Archivist, India Office Records
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB Telephone/Voicemail 020 7412 7828
United Kingdom Fax 020 7412 7641
-----------------------------------------------------------
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Map cabinets
Author: Clare Cowling <[log in to unmask]> at Internet
Date: 16/10/2000 8:48 AM
I have to order a second map cabinet for my Archives and have been asked by
management to consider a verticle hanging storage cabinet as we have
absolutely no room in our repository/office area for a second horizontal
storage cabinet. I am prepared to do this, despite having had drummed into
me for years the desirability of horizontal storage for absolutely
everything, provided I don't hear to the contrary from those in the know
i.e. anyone on mailbase.
What does everyone think? I'm quite happy to hear that such storage is not
advisable, as it would strengthen my case for more repository space!
Clare Cowling
Archivist, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologist
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
