Information in a country—the national heritage of a nation—acts as a witness to past memories and historical events. A vital record is an irreplaceable document which, once destroyed, cannot be brought back to par with the original document. For this, important documents are kept in microform, microfiche, etc. So that they do not spoil easily. In a sense, these microfilms, microfiche, microforms, etc. are vital records. Note that the volumes of the documents mentioned here are quite large.
It can be said more precisely that vital records are all those documents that cannot be matched with the original documents if they are destroyed. That is why all these documents must be stored very carefully. Just as there are rules for formatting documents, there are methods to protect vital records. It is advisable to take appropriate measures to protect vital records from natural and man-made factors. Man-made causes include nuclear war, theft, fire, ignorance, etc., and natural causes include storms, floods, dust, fires, etc.
Techniques for preserving vital records
There are three strategies to protect vital records. For example:
- Duplication
- On-side Storage
- Remote Storage
1.Duplication:
Copies of all important documents stored in archival institutions should first be prepared and preserved. Duplication of important documents can be done either by photography or hand writing.
The needs of any archivist organization are extensive. Microfilm is no substitute for large-volume duplication. Because it can be stored in a very small space and there is no fear of spoilage. That is safe.
Any place we store microfilm should have a temperature of no more than 55°F and a humidity of 85%. It does not damage the microfilm. It must be sealed in an airtight container before storage. Second, all other documents we have should be stored on microfilm.
Duplication is again of two types. For example:
- Build in: Now all the new documents that are being created are usually kept in a safe place. For example, as many copies of vital records as are available in the branch offices are kept by the main branch or office.
- Improvised: Documents can be duplicated with the help of separate copies, making it much more cost-effective. This functionality has greatly increased in offices today.
2. One-Side Storage:
In common language it is said that when any documents are stored in a specific place, it is called one-sided storage. More broadly, archival documents are locked and stored in a specific location in the organization. All these documents are inactive but documents that may be used in future should be stored in a separate place in the organization for future use.
We have to protect the extensive and important documents from any damage. For this reason, caution should be taken beforehand. Fire extinguishers are essential for archival institutions. If the institution has rooms on the ground floor, it is better not to keep valuable documents there. Because many times it can be damaged by water, flood, fire. The establishment should have automation of danger signals, fire extinguishing system etc.
Small volumes are completely closed and kept in separate places. Generally it is not allowed to be used. A file room houses equipment for viewing files. Especially any file cabinet of iron or steel. Ordinary filing cabinets do not adequately protect documents from heat and moisture. But steel cabins are more useful here as it becomes difficult to extinguish the fire if it somehow breaks out.
3.Remote Storage:
A place has to be selected according to the time, etc. where these important documents will be kept. The documents should be kept at the appropriate place depending on the time and place. They should be thought through before placing them. These should be skill-based, flexible, and sequential. The economic side has to be considered here. Documents should be kept in a place, where user traffic is low.
A suitable location for a remote storage center is usually a cave-like place, an abandoned place or a tunnel-like place. It is again of three types. For example:
- Company Owned
- Commercial
- Co-operation
a)Company Owned
Large organizations establish records centers within the organization to maintain their own records. Documents related to that institution are mainly stored here. Lockhead aircraft cooperation, Burbank California, Bethlehem street cooperation, Bethlehem Pennsylovaried etc. institutions have developed it on their own urges.
B) Commercial Center:
In the initial phase it is constructed in the place of an abandoned structure. It has gradually become popular now. They are mainly run by private organizations. Here documents are stored without rules. It has some advantages. For example:
- There is no cost to save
- The data is protected from any damage and security is provided
- Volumes of documents are stored at low cost.
- Any documents are retrieved at low cost by experienced staff
C) Co-operative Record Center:
It is developed with the overall support of the members of an organization, i.e. they build record centers related to the need of multiple organizations. Here the objectives of the organization must be the same. For example, in 1969, the United States launched the Integrated Guard Project. Currently it is widely used.
Every archival preserve has research and reference value. The method of preservation of documents should be determined based on their use. All vital documents, i.e. those that cannot be replaced by any other documents should be carefully preserved.
