> On Oct 31, 2015, at 12:04 AM, RECMGMT-L automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Subject: Rainy weather damages hundreds of county records
> Date: October 30, 2015 at 10:56:38 PM EDT
> 
> 
> JONES COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT) – Thousands of pages of Jones County history may
> be gone after they were soaked by rain.
> 
> The most recent work done on the roof of Ellisville’s courthouse failed to
> stop Sunday and Monday’s weather.

This may go counter to the real records manager in your soul; but you are often better off to select the most valuable and historical records and seek to protect those.  Let everyone know the other records are at risk and based on historical percentages, those records will not survive over time.

Two things happen:  First, a savior will show up to help protect the most vital of records.  You can offer to name that new protected area after the donor saving the collection. 

Second, once people know that there is a real risk, you are defining it for everyone; and they know you are expecting a loss due to environmental conditions, pest and termites and fire and flood, mold & mildew then people will be aroused to do something.

But it is not until you declare the likely loss, do people come forward.  Notice how when the records are already damaged and lost they speak of remorse.  You must trigger the remorse prior to the loss.

If you are really proactive, you find some old records in bad condition, ones you would just as soon shred; and place it on a window ledge and sun fade it some more.  Then use this as your example of the next phase in the degradation of your records.  Because, in reality, that is what another 10 to 20 years will do to the records.  Wake people up to reality.

Once they are faded and gone, slow burn damage, ink breakdowns and so on, then there is no return.  You are just showing them the future.  Think of it as a Scrooge nightmare vision.

Rain water and flooding open up the dangers of mold and mildew and then OSHA becomes involved and they will force you to fix the problem or they will fine you per day until you do fix it. 

It is easy to find some old records with black mildew on them and show that to the Selectman or corporate officer,  they can almost see the fines and bad press.  Then a budget is developed.

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
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(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM
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