We try to recycle boxes in good condition, and whenever possible instruct departments to not write on boxes but use dept specific "in-house" storage  numbers for content identification, which cuts down on "life stories" written on boxes going offsite, which is a "feel secure" off premises measure and enables us to reuse boxes if for some reason boxes are returned from off-site to onsite, in accordance with disposition schedules.


Ralph B. Cooper
Records Manager
The Arc Companies LLC
655 Third Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, NY  10017
212.702.1458 phone
212.702.5807 fax
[log in to unmask]
www.arcny.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Fairfax
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2016 3:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re-use of records cartons

Good Morning!

It has been quite a while since I posted to the list but I need your help.  I am calling on the wisdom of the list to satisfy a question raised by one of our commissioners.  Although I have always had strong feelings about this-and have felt that there was a concensus among those of us on the list based on discussions from at least 10 years ago-I thought I would pass the question along to my esteemed colleagues.

Our practice has historically been NOT to re-use or re-cycle records cartons based on the premise that one slip- up with a mislabeled box could be a risky and potentially very expensive one.  Departments are not known to carefully expunge old labels on boxes before re-labelling and sending them to storage again in my experience.

What would your advice be on the potential practice of re-using records cartons if the contents were emptied and shredded, but the boxes could be recovered?  Many thanks in advance.

Elizabeth Fairfax

A.S.Elizabeth Fairfax MA, CA
ACA Certified Archivist/Public Records Professional Director, Island County Archives, Records and Information Management Program P.O. Box 5000
1 NE 7th Street
Coupeville WA 98239
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 360-240-5569
Fax:360-240-5553





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