Proposed National Photographic Museum, Doha

Report on Consultancy Visit (31 January – 7 February 2005)

Prepared by:Paul Goodman

Head of CollectionsNational Museum of Photography, Film & Television

(for National Council for Culture Arts & Heritage, Qatar)

April 2005

PART A: Brief & Overall Findings

1. Introduction

In June 2004, a delegation from the Qatari National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage [NCCAH] visited the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television [NMPFT] to view the latter’s collections access and management facilities.

During the course of this study trip, the delegation examined the NMPFT’s purpose- built Collections and Research Centre, Insight, and met with representatives of the its curatorial and senior management team. The aim of the visit was to glean ideas and examine standards and protocols at other institutions to help inform the construction, establishment and operation of a new National Museum of Photography [NPM] in Doha.

As a direct result of this visit, the Museum’s Head of Collections, Paul Goodman, was invited to Doha between 2 and 7 February 2005 to act in an a consultative capacity, meeting with representatives of NCCAH, and providing professional advice and direction to the project.

It is envisaged that this visit would lead to more extensive long-term collaboration between NMPFT and NCCAH on a range of curatorial and programming activities.

2. Brief

A brief was agreed between NCCAH and NMPFT with the clear objectives of helping to develop a national photographic centre which evinced the best professional practice in the care, management and stewardship of mixed-format photographic collections. This was to:

2.1 Undertake a general examination of the collection in terms of its present condition and current factors that are having an adverse effect on its overall condition.

2.2 Carry out an environmental investigation of the premises housing the photographic collections, e.g. Industrial Area, Wajba Store, Islamic Museum.

2.3 Investigate current storage techniques and propose solutions. Use metering equipment to check the current environmental conditions e.g. humidity, ultra violet, temperature etc.

2.4 Determine the range of items in the collection, identify processes and advise on the appropriate care and the relevant specialist enclosures needed to preserve photographic artefacts.

2.5 Compile a list of necessary conservation equipment needed for the Wajba store.

2.6 Examine the revised plans for the Photography Museum and make recommendations on safe materials to be used in cabinet design, display, and suitability of finishing materials for walls, floors, ceilings etc.

2.7 Set guidelines for environmental parameters concerning humidity, temperature, light intensity, ultra violet levels and acceptable fluctuations.

2.8 Study proposed fire systems, under-floor ventilation, heating systems etc.

3. Methodology

It was originally envisaged that the requirements of the brief would be achieved through visits to crucial installations housing the collection, discussion and consultation with key project staff and other external advisors, familiarisation with the NPM’s collections, and assessment of the scope and objectives of the project.

The data resulting from this information gathering exercise would then be distilled into this report which would summarise the consultant’s findings, and allow him to make generic and specialist recommendations, which could then feed into the planning, developmental and implemental phases of the project.

In the event, however, owing to circumstances beyond the consultant’s control (explored later in the document), it was not possible to visit all areas or interview certain individuals, or to view the NMP’s holdings. This led to a significant change in the scope of the consultancy and consequently, certain aspirations of the brief had to be either disregarded or diluted.

4. Itinerary

Hours of work: 0730 - 1300

Date Activity1 February Travel:

Bradford to London Heathrow (train) London Heathrow - Doha (overnight flight)

2 February Arrival in DohaMeetings:

Nicholas Couts (Chief Curator, National Photography Museum) [0800 – 1100]

Representatives of NCCAH staff including Walid J. Nashwan (Head of Engineering Section, NCCAH) [1130 - 1230]

Visit: NCCAH building

3 February Meetings: Nicholas Couts, Oliver Watson (Chief Curator, National Museum of

Islamic Art) and Vicky Oakley (Head of Conservation) [0800 - 1000]

Representatives of NPM project team including Amjad Harb (Senior Architect,

Visit: Wajba Store

4 February Visit: Al Sadd Store

5 February Visit: Al Sadd Store Wajba Store

Meetings: Representatives of NCCAH

6 February Meetings: Nicholas Couts and representatives of NPM project team in Doha

offices7 February Meetings:

Other key project staff, Oliver Watson, Samir El-Saddi (Senior Engineer – Qatar Petroleum, project management consultants for NPM)

Travel:

Doha to London Heathrow (flight) London Heathrow to Bradford (train)

5. National Photography Museum – Key Installations

5.1 Main NPM Building

Commissioned and designed by the world-renowned architect, Santiago Calatrava, the NPM will eventually be a purpose-built landmark heritage development in Doha, complementing other important cultural institutions in the capital, yet retaining a distinctive profile. The new museum will blend attractive and elegant design features with energy efficient construction, using specialist building materials. It is part of a ‘cultural renewal’ programme, which will see the appearance of a number of museums and galleries on the Doha skyline during the next few years, including the prestigious Islamic Museum of Art.

It will incorporate a range of temporary and permanent exhibition areas, specialist collections storage and research facilities, office and administrative accommodation, library, photographic darkroom facilities, technical services, conservation studios, and a dedicated space for the Qatar Photography Society.

Specialist project management and quality assurance for the scheme will be provided by Qatar Petroleum, which has an acknowledged pedigree and proven track record in this area, and Cosentini is the architect’s choice for environmental plant. Overall, the NCCAH will be responsible for the procurement of services for mechanical and engineering.

5.2 Al-Wajba Store

Located at the edge of Doha, approximately 5 km from the city centre, construction of this store was completed in October 2003. It offers potentially excellent temporary storage, pending construction of a new NPM in Doha, with good physical and environmental security, and strong construction values.

However, it should not be seen as providing a long-term collection storage area(s) for the NPM’s paper-based holdings. It is currently being configured to take objects from other stores in preparation for their onward transfer to other new museums under construction (see 5.1 above)

5.3 Al Sadd (Photography Museum) Store

This is also located out of the main city but offers less stringent environmental controls with, generally speaking, temperature and relative humidity apparently higher that the Al-Wajba Store. This store is currently managed by the NPM’s Chief Curator and is where much of the preparatory digitisation and limited preventive conservation work is undertaken.

6. Overall Summary of Findings and General Recommendations

6.1 Owing to an extensive Qatari government audit, coincidental with the consultant’s visit, which restricted access to the NPM’s holdings, it was not possible to view any original key photographic materials. This constraint was compounded by the fact that monitoring equipment, ordered by NPM staff to help the consultant evaluate and monitor the environment in areas housing the collection had not yet been released from customs. Both of these factors meant that the scope of the original brief (summarised in 2 above) had to be significantly changed.

6.2 Actual commencement of the main NPM building project is still a way off – there is no construction plan in place and, although Calatrava’s design has been approved and a completion date for 2008 /9 is projected, there is no definite schedule for commencement of the work. Not only does this continuing hiatus damage confidence in the project’s viability, more importantly, ongoing delays will place the NPM’s holdings at risk in their temporary homes (see 6.3 and 6.4 below).

6.3 Although Al Wajba store may be considered to offer reasonable and controlled physical and environmental storage facilities, the Al Sadd installation does not provide appropriate climatological control. There is concern that the physical location of the latter will make it more susceptible to environmental variance, with this in turn having a deleterious effect on material stored there. Additionally, the current proposed location for storage/conservation at the Al Wajba store contains piping systems. Consideration should be given to selecting an alternative location within the building to house these collections facilities.

6.4 A report prepared by another independent consultant 1 indicates significant pest problems at both stores, but particularly the Al Sadd store. In the case of the Al Wajda store, professional negligence has exacerbated the problem as (during the consultant’s visit) a group of infested library materials were brought into the Al Wajba store. This incident represents a serious deficiency in the professional culture of the NCCAH’s curatorial activities and the member of staff responsible for increasing the risk of damage to other collections as a result of this action should be severely censured for negligence.

6.5 With the best will in the world, whilst curatorial assistants with restricted expertise are doing the best they can under difficult conditions and with limited resources, the continuing exposure of NPM’s stored collections to biological and pest infestation, and through perceived poor environmental controls, is jeopardising the museum’s artefacts.

6.6 Additionally, no specialist conservation, curatorial or security advisers have yet been appointed. This represents, in the consultant’s view, a critical oversight which should be rectified immediately, and recruitment of specialist curatorial staff to support the Chief Curator’s should be considered as a matter of urgency.

6.7 Without having actually been able to evaluate the range and scope of the collections, it is difficult for the consultant to make precise recommendations about conservation. However, from information provided during the course of meetings with the project team, and through first-hand examination of the storage environments, it is likely that poor environmental and risk management is promoting or accelerating inherent or induced deterioration within the paper-based photographic collections.

1 Report on Integrated Pest Management (Prepared by David Pinniger FRES, December 2004)

6.8 Albums will almost certainly need to be rebound; individual photographs and negatives will need specialist housing and resleeving, with potentially harmful materials (e.g. glassine sleeves, acidic paper, sellotape etc.) removed or stabilised; equipment – which requires different storage parameters and housings – should be separated and/or segregated from the photographs. Material currently stored free-standing on the floor should be either racked or palletised off-floor.

6.9 It is clear that a systematic approach to preventive conservation is required, defined by the Chief Curator with support from or access to specialist conservation consultants. A survey and grading of the NPM’s holdings is absolutely critical, as this will make it easier to devote the very best resources to the top category material, help identify where interventive conservation is necessary, and facilitate a programme of rationalisation (e.g. removal or segregation of infested material, disposal of duplicates etc.) at some future stage. It will also help inform the future development of collection management and acquisition policies and protocols, to protect and grow the NPM collection respectively. This should be started sooner rather than later if new museum is scheduled for 2008/9.

6.10 In order to avoid individual exposure, it is vital that NCCAH encourages a collective ownership of the NPM project through regularly scheduled, rather than ad hoc, project meetings; a proper, defined project plan should be prepared indicating critical path and milestones, and evaluation points, and, perhaps most importantly, a programme of recruitment should be instituted to provide support for the Chief Curator and project managers. A clear line of responsibility between the NCCAH and the project managers should be established and appointment of key staff, particularly collections specialists, is critical if the collections are not to be placed at risk. Consultation with key project staff would suggest that there is a lack of strategic direction for the project, and that progress is hampered by political protocol and bureaucratic red tape. An option may be to place the NPM project under the pastoral care of a specialist museum elsewhere, which has both the resources and the expertise to realise the scheme.

6.11 It appears that the project to digitally capture the NPM’s holdings is well under way with 25% of the collection listed, albeit to a rudimentary level. This at least provides a basic audit of condition and holdings (see 6.7

above) but more staff is required to continue this basic cataloguing and to validate inputted data.

6.12 It is suggested that senior representatives of the NCCAH meet with the architect and his advisors to appraise them of the requirements outlined in Part B of this document and the appendices, to undertake risk assessment and agree appropriate courses of action if these cannot be met, with special provisions identified to protect the new museum from these hazards.

6.13 The project team should review the internal allocation of spaces within the proposed new build to ensure they are appropriately apportioned.

6.14 The project managers should discuss this requirement with the architects and/or his representatives to ensure quality assurance of the gallery and stores environment.

6.15 It is strongly advised that a fire consultant be appointed to the project to advise on potential problems, and it may also be necessary for the project engineers to discuss these arrangements with the insurers responsible for covering the NCCAH’s collections.

PART B: Specific Standards and Recommendations

1. Location of Proposed Museum

1.1 Avoidance of Hazards

(a) The site for the proposed new building should not be:

liable to subsidence, earthquake, landslides or flooding, whether natural or man-made

at risk from fire or explosions in adjacent sites, or from water or chemicals used to deal with such hazards

near a strategic installation which could be a target in armed conflict located near an installation emitting gases or smoke which may be

harmful to humans or objects (e.g. Sulphur Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulphide)

situated in an area known to be polluted for other reasons near a place or building which easily attracts rodents, insects or other

infestation

(b) In order to limit the harmful effects of exposure to sunlight (particularly excessive ultra-violet light), particular attention should be paid to the orientation of the building, its external landscaping and the prevailing external climate and environment. Equally, the building should be protected or directed away from strong winds which may carry airborne pollutants.

1.2 Current and Future Capacity

(a) The new building must be large enough to accommodate existing collections in order to meet current storage requirements, with capability to accommodate projected storage requirements for up to twenty years from the date of occupation.

(b) The new building should be located in an area where it may be capable of being extended, subject to the impact on aesthetics and the general environment of such activity.

1.3 Physical Security of the Site

(a) The new museum should be viewed as a purpose-built construction (i.e. not subsumed within a larger building or development), on a stand-alone site with free access around its perimeter, which should be:

clearly illuminated during the hours of darkness subject to continuous human and/or electronic invigilation security-gated and fenced to an appropriate height

(b) Because early artefacts are irreplaceable and their authenticity can often be established only by proof of unbroken custody, they should be rigorously protected against theft, vandalism, unauthorized alteration and casual damage or disturbance caused by inexpert or careless handling. In order to maintain unbroken custody of archival material, unauthorized and unsupervised access to any room in which it is stored should be forbidden. Collection storage area(s) should be used only for the storage of objects and the equipment used therein should be limited to that essential for storage.

(c) The building should be within a short response time of emergency services.

(d) The museum should be secured against theft, burglary, vandalism, terrorism and other criminal acts and an intruder alarm system linked to the police or an alarm monitoring centre should be provided.

(e) All means of access to the new building, such as doors, lifts, stairways, windows and ventilation risers, should be designed to exclude the possibility of entry by unauthorized persons and to ensure that even normal maintenance staff for the building can enter only under supervision. No part of the building in which archival material is permanently or temporarily stored should be used as a corridor or emergency exit. There should preferably be only one entrance for visitors to a building in which a collection storage area(s) is situated.

(f) To minimize unnecessary access to the museum, all services directly related to the collection storage area(s) should be capable of being isolated and controlled independently. Air-conditioning plant, heating, electricity, water supplies or drainage, including rainwater pipes, should be situated outside the museum and not in a position that is accessible only through it. Other services, for example gas, oil and sewage, should preferably not pass through the collection storage area(s). If, however, this cannot be avoided, these services should be controllable from outside the collection storage area(s).

(g) Daylight should be excluded from the museum’s galleries and stores. However, if the storage area is large and works are constantly being accessed or researched, windows may be provided for the benefit of staff comfort. In the interests of security, these windows should be small, unopenable, barred and glazed with strengthened glass. One-way glass may be used if necessary to prevent people looking into the museum storage areas.

(h) To stabilize the environment, guard against condensation in the stores and reduce the risks of exposing photographs (particularly early experimental editions) to light, any windows should be at least double-glazed, with an ultraviolet filter incorporated in the glass or provided as a screen. In addition, shutters, louvres or blinds should be used, whenever possible. Alternatively, in converted buildings, windows should be blocked up and roof lights should never be installed in a museum.

(i) All doors should be strongly constructed, close fitting and equipped with thief-resistant locks. Doors leading out of the closed-access area should be fitted with locks that may be opened from the inside without a key but can be opened from the outside only with a key. The fire authority and security specialists should be informed about the types of locks used and their system of operation, particularly in the case of electronic or electromagnetic locking devices. The NMPFT uses Abloy key systems and these have proven to offer flexibility and security.

(j) No door of the areas housing the collection should normally be used as an external door of the building or open into any part of the building to which the public has normal access. Doors of emergency exits should be designed to open only from inside and should open onto an escape route.

(k) Openings of doors through which loaded trolleys are to pass should be not less than 900mm wide. Consideration should also be given to wheelchair-bound staff or visitors.

(l) Floors should be level and uninterrupted by steps, doorsills, heating grilles or mats in order to allow the easy passage of trolleys. Where a change in floor level is unavoidable, ramps with a maximum gradient of 10% should be provided. A high degree of accuracy is necessary for floor loads where mobile shelving is to be installed. False floors should be avoided.

(m)It is recommended that false ceilings be avoided as they create voids that are difficult to clean and where infestation and spread of fire can take place undetected. If, however, the use of false ceilings is unavoidable, they should be constructed of materials of limited combustibility. The minimum internal height of the collection storage area(s) should take account of the racking height and the service zones above. The structure above the collection storage area(s), including intermediate floors, should be impervious to water.

2. Building Materials

2.1 Consultancy

(a) Expert advice should be sought from experienced building professionals and designers, and the emergency services should be consulted to ensure that there is no conflict between recommendations for security and fire protection, and those required for human and object safety.

2.2 General Apportionment of Space

(a) Those rooms required for object-based activity (e.g. conservation treatment, storage, documentation etc.) should ideally be separated from administrative areas, separated by fire-resistant layers or constructions. This compartmentalised structure, with careful attention paid to the location of doors will also aid environmental management and equilibrium.

(b) The shape and dimensions of the rooms in the collection storage area(s) should be determined by the need to provide maximum storage space and ease of withdrawal and repatriation of works. Wherever possible, areas should be free from obstructions to allow the best possible use of the space, especially if high-density mobile shelving is to be used.

2.3 Life of Building

(a) It is anticipated that this new building will represent a landmark development on the skyline of Doha, and will signal the Qatari government’s commitment to securing the future of its photographic assets. The assumption is that the objects therein are to be preserved for posterity, so naturally the building will be expected to have a long life.

(b) Consideration must be given therefore to operation costs in terms of utilities, energy consumption (particularly given the stringent environmental controls required in the care of this material), water consumption and maintenance.

3. Environmental Security – General Provisions

3.1 Introduction

(a) Apart from poor handling protocols (i.e. human error) unsuitable environments damage documents more extensively than any other single factor.

(b) Dampness and poor ventilation may encourage the growth of mould. Very dry atmospheres cause temporary embrittlement of otherwise undamaged paper-based material because their moisture content becomes very low. Paper may also become embrittled through acid-induced hydrolysis of cellulose. High temperature (>23OC) accelerates such chemical change and high relative humidity (>65%) also increases the rate of deterioration, leading to mould growth. Polluted atmospheres can also contribute to acidic degradation.

(c) Although the best environmental conditions for the storage of archives are still a matter of study and debate, in general, subject to the recommendations below with regard to relative humidity, low temperatures with adequate air movement are preferable provided that the material is not frequently used in warmer areas without acclimatization. Sharp fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity put stress on archival materials and should therefore be avoided. Stability is therefore key to management of photographs. As laminates, the individual layers within a photograph are susceptible to different levels of linear expansion. Continuous expansion and contraction of these layers could create internal stresses within the photograph, which may in turn lead to failure or damage.

(d) Significant research has been undertaken into the optimum storage environments and parameters for mixed format photographic collections. The prevailing view is that 35-40% is the optimum level of relative humidity. In general, cooler storage temperatures are best. Colour material is usually recommended to be stored at 5oC or less, but extremes of high and low relative humidity and large cyclic fluctuation caused by this action should be avoided.

3.2 Environmental Control

(a) Environmental control should be achieved primarily by good building design, supported, if necessary, by effective engineering services. Environmental

control within the collection storage area(s) should be achieved by provision of a building, or compartment within a building, that gives high thermal inertia and a high level of hygroscopic buffering. It should also be capable of providing an appropriate level of ventilation and air-movement within the confines of the space. The environment can be more easily controlled if the museum and its stores are divided into compartments.

(b) Where this alone is insufficient to maintain an environment, the strategy may be complemented as necessary by the appropriate provision of environmental control equipment. According to circumstances, this can range from independent units for small spaces to full air-conditioning. Control equipment should, however, never replace robust building construction.

3.3 Thermal Inertia

(a) This relates to the capacity of the materials used in the construction of the new museum to retain and dissipate heat energy and the rate at which these materials do this. The construction should be heavy enough, and air infiltration low enough, for the temperature and relative humidity to remain stable and within recommended parameters.

3.4 Ventilation & Circulation

(a) Generally speaking, to limit or prevent uncontrolled air changes, air infiltration should be strictly controlled, with the rate of this limited to no than two changes per day. In other words, the building, and particularly the areas housing the collections, should be reasonably air-tight to prevent the ingress of unwanted gases from external sources and to avoid effecting changes in the microclimates within collection storage areas.

4 Recommended Storage Temperatures and Relative Humidity

4.1 Storage Temperature for Frequently Handled Material

(a) The temperature for the storage of frequently handled paper-based photographs should be as constant as possible. In order to avoid the need for acclimatization when works move from storage to reading room and back, the temperature should be at a fixed point between 15°C and 18°C with a tolerance of 1°C on either side, but ranging neither below the minimum nor above the maximum. Paper-based works in transit should be protected against the effects of any unsuitable environment between the stores and the reading room, and the distance between the two should be minimized.

4.2 Storage Temperature for Infrequently Handled Material

(a) Little-used material will benefit from being stored at cooler, constant temperatures. The temperature should be at a fixed point within the range of 13°C to 16°C with a tolerance of 1°C on either side. The material should be allowed to acclimatize before use in a transitional environment.

4.3 Relative Humidity

(a) Relative humidity should be at a fixed point between 40 and 45 with a tolerance of 5 on either side, but ranging neither below the minimum nor above the maximum. Rapid changes should be avoided.

4.4 Acclimatization

(a) If it is necessary to move materials from one set of environmental conditions to a sharply differing environment, they should be allowed time to adapt before use, for example in an acclimatization chamber where the temperature can be increased gradually for several hours before the material is handled. The reading room should be kept as cool as the comfort of readers allows.

5. Monitoring

5.1 Equipment

(a) Monitoring devices for temperature and relative humidity should be provided and used within the collection storage area(s), whatever the method of environmental control. Recording thermohygrographs, data-loggers or sensors linked directly to a computerized building management system may be used, but it is also advisable to have some independent monitoring devices. Sensors should be sited to provide readings that represent the typical conditions in the storage areas, but account should also be taken of any extreme or abnormal conditions which may be present, for example near outside walls or close to a source of heating or ventilation. For comparative purposes, the outdoor temperature and relative humidity should also be monitored.

5.2 Maintenance

(a) All monitoring devices should be calibrated at appropriate intervals and according to the manufacturers’ instruction.

5.3 Building Materials

(a) Internal walls, floors and ceilings should be made of brick or from amalgams of materials with high thermal and hygroscopic (the ability to absorb moisture from the air) qualities. As photographic materials benefit from storage at lower temperatures (e.g. less than 15oC) and lower humidity (e.g. within a range of 35 – 50%), materials such as marble, though more expensive, and concrete would be acceptable. Environmental conditions may be ameliorated by the use of insulating materials, appropriate to the system of construction selected, provided these do not impede the thermal inertia and hygroscopic capacities.

5.4 Acclimatisation

(a) Built into the quality assurance programme agreed between the engineers and architects, a suitable time must be allowed to elapse for the building to `dry out’, for the plant to demonstrate that it is capable of achieving the stipulated environmental parameters, and allow the environment to stabilise prior to the introduction of objects. This period must be no less than one month, with three months being preferable.

6. Air Conditioning & Circulation

6.1 General

(a) The air within the collection storage area(s) should not be stagnant. There should be sufficient air movement to avoid pockets of stagnant air. (Note: air movement also removes off gassing of organic materials and prevents a build-up of compartments of high relative humidity.)

(b) If a mechanical ventilation system is provided, it should be designed to reduce pollutant concentration by introducing a proportion of fresh air and by providing air distribution that will avoid areas of stagnation. Care should be taken over the location of air diffusers since loaded shelves create barriers to air circulation.

(c) Where the thermal properties of the building and its natural ventilation are insufficient to maintain the stable environment recommended in this document, central station air-conditioning units with humidification and dehumidification facilities incorporated may be installed to provide and maintain temperature and relative humidity within the recommended range. An alarm system should be installed to alert staff to any mechanical malfunction in the air-conditioning plant. The advantages of installing standby (or duplicate) plant should be considered.

(d) If an air-conditioning system is installed, it should be capable of providing the environments specified for different materials.

(e) If air-conditioning is to be used, account should be taken of the space required for the air-distribution ductwork connected to the air-conditioning plant. The plant should be situated outside the collection storage area(s).

(f) The amount of air circulated should be determined from the cooling load to maintain the recommended temperature and relative humidity in the collection storage area(s). To reduce the risk of a build-up of pollutants, a proportion of the air circulated should be fresh air. In practice, for a mechanical ventilation system the proportion of fresh air will not be less than 5% to 10%. Fresh air intakes should not be located close to sources of pollution or heat. All of the air supplied to the collection storage area(s) should be cleaned. Dust should be collected through a coarse filter.

(g) Materials used for filters should not in themselves be damaging to photographs. Filters should be regularly maintained. Electrostatic dust precipitators should not be used as they produce ozone. Where local monitoring suggests that the fresh air taken into the collection storage area(s) contains hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide and/or oxides of nitrogen in excess of 10µg./m³, the air should pass through an activated carbon or alumina filter to reduce these pollutants to below this concentration.

6.2 Shelving

(a) It is important that shelves be adequately ventilated to allow the free movement of air. Where practical, the sides, tops and backs of both fixed and mobile shelving should be open to allow the free circulation of air. There should be a distance of at least 150mm between the floor and the lowest shelf as well as between the ceiling and the average line of upper edges of objects stored on the top shelf. There should also be a distance of at least 50mm between the top of the highest document on each shelf and the bottom of the shelf above. Note: gangways and aisles also allow ventilation.

6.3 Maintenance

(a) Air-conditioning installations need to be kept clean and in good running order and this should be taken into account in their design. Expert advice should be sought about routine maintenance of the installation and any special precautions that may be necessary to avoid health hazards.

7. Protection Against Fire

7.1 General

(a) Fire regulations vary from area to area, and are often subject to local legislation. Any general provisions for the protection of the museum’s collections against the threat of fire must be interpreted within these.

(b) Collections stores in general do not usually present a high hazard of fire and the risk to life is usually low. However, because their contents are irreplaceable and because of the high fire loading, fire precautions should be more stringent than those for other buildings having a similar level of hazard. General fire precautions should be designed to protect the content and structure of the collection storage area(s) both from the fire itself and from damage caused by fire-fighting operations, as well as to ensure the safety of staff.

(c) Expert advice appropriate to the needs of archives and libraries should be taken on the design, installation and maintenance of means for suppressing fire. The fire authority should approve any system proposed. The insurance company should also be consulted.

7.2 Fire Precautions - General

(a) In the case of fire prevention it is worth emphasizing that:

Smoking in the collection storage area(s) and associated areas must be prohibited at all times

Loose documents and other combustible materials should not be left out of their containers for longer than is necessary

Fire action notices should be displayed as required by the appropriate local or national authorities

Collection storage area(s) staff should know the location of fire fighting appliances and should be instructed in their use. A fire drill, drawn up in collaboration with the local fire authority should be practiced regularly

A fire plan, which should form part of a wider disaster recovery plan, should be drawn up in collaboration with the local fire authority and fire insurers for the information of the fire brigade in an emergency and should include a warning that indiscriminate use of water may cause serious damage to documents.

Collection storage area(s) should be inspected at regular intervals, day and night, by properly instructed patrols.

7.3 Fire Resistance

(a) The structural elements of the building should be designed to provide a minimum of 4 hours resistance against fire occurring, either within the collection storage area(s) housing the collection, or in any adjacent compartment or area or building nearby.

7.4 Compartmentalisation

(a) To offer maximum buffering against the spread of fire, the museum should be divided into discrete areas, and internal and external walls, floors, ceilings and

doors between single rooms and compartments, and between storage and other areas of the building should be structured to prevent fire, water and/or smoke spreading into a neighbouring unit. Specifications should be defined in accordance with local fire regulations.

7.5 Doors and Apertures

(a) All openings, including ducting, in fire resisting boundaries must be coated with fire retardant and must be of equal fire resistance to the walls which contain them. They must be smoke-stopping and no doors should have a grille, which would allow the ingress or egress of smoke particles. Fire doors or roller shutter assemblies must also be self activating or self closing in the event of a fire.

7.6 Vertical Openings

(a) All stairways, lift shafts, ventilation risers and other openings which could act as a conduit for fire, smoke or other toxic agents must be enclosed by walls or clad in fire retardant (i.e. between 1- 3 hours) partitioning or dampers. These areas must also be fitted with early warning alarm systems (e.g. smoke detectors) which will facilitate evacuation of staff or key elements of the collection.

7.7 Water Based (Automatic) Fire Suppression Systems

(a) Although effective, the use of water-based sprinkler systems should be discouraged in areas housing photographic works on paper. The majority of photographic processes are susceptible to water damage, and actual or accidental activation of such systems could lead to more harm than good. It is possible that water-damaged works could be freeze-dried but unless emergency facilities for undertaking this rapidly are available, then this could prove costly both financially and physically to the works. Additionally, many modern photographs contain gelatin, which is hygroscopic, so absorption of water or moisture in any quantities would lead to internal damage within the photographs, and should be avoided.

7.8 Gas (Automatic) Fire Suppression Systems

(a) Fire suppressant systems using low water content foams are available but it is probably better to use a halogen-based (i.e. inert gas, such as Argon, or compound) sprinkler system. Whilst these are expensive, they will not cause any damage to photographic works, provided they work in tandem with a gas removal system to expunge the gas once the fire has been completely extinguished (i.e. through oxygen starvation). There is also the potential to use a `pre-action’ sprinkler, perhaps containing carbon dioxide, which is essentially a dry sprinkler system (or one in dry mode) in which the alarm valve can be opened by an independent fire detection system in the protected area. Whatever happens, the best sprinkler systems should be configured to operate only in the location of the heat source

(b) For maximum protection, the collection storage area(s) should have an automatic fire-suppression system that is designed to cause minimum damage to the stored photographs if activated. Gas systems are preferable. If a water-based system is installed, provision should be made for rapid drainage from all protected spaces. In general, however, gas systems are only recommended for discrete spaces that can be made airtight.

7.9 Fire Protection Equipment

(a) Where the collection storage area(s) is part of a larger building, fire-fighting equipment that uses water should be provided outside the collection storage area(s) in accordance with the advice of the local fire authorities. Portable fire extinguishers should be provided. Wall-mounted fire hose reels may also be provided and installed, and no part of the outside of the collection storage area(s) should be more than 6m from the nozzle of a fully extended fire-hose reel.

(b) Fire hydrant systems or rising mains should be provided, considered in consultation with the local fire authorities. Dry rising mains should be located so as to permit the fire brigade to pressurize the pipework from outside the building. On a large site where the nearest external public fire hydrants are a considerable distance from the envelope of the building, private fire hydrants should be provided within the site in consultation with the local fire authorities.

7.10 Smoke Extraction

(a) It is desirable that a smoke-extraction system be provided to remove the products of combustion in the event of a fire and/or for smoke clearance by the fire brigade, particularly in the case of windowless accommodation.

(b) Care should be exercised in the selection of the sprinkler system chemicals: for example, any excess moisture in the environment could combine with carbon dioxide to cause carbonous acid, which, although not as dangerous as some of the stronger acids, is nevertheless a reagent potentially harmful to early photographic works.

7.11 Fire Risk Assessment

(a) A fire risk assessment should be performed at the design stage to ensure that the level of fire protection is commensurate with the level of fire risk. In this context, fire risk means a combination of the probability of fire and the consequences of fire. The probability of fire should, in any case, be reduced to the minimum level that is reasonably practicable by a combination of good design and a high standard of management.

8. Fire Elimination and Warning

8.1 Minimizing Fire Hazard in the Electrical System

(a) Electrical circuits should not pass through the collection storage area(s) unless they serve it.

(b) The entire fixed electrical distribution system for the collection storage area(s) including extensions and additions, should be regularly maintained and thoroughly inspected, tested and a written report produced at least once every three years.

(c) Cable insulation should be flame retardant and be of low smoke and fume type to minimize the emission of harmful fumes in the event of fire. The points at which cables enter and leave the collection storage area(s) or pass through intermediate walls should be fire-stopped in order to maintain the fire resistance of the walls, and reduce transfer of biological infestation.

(d) There should be a master switch or switches outside the collection storage area(s) to isolate all electric circuits except those providing fire detection and protection or emergency lighting. The master switch should be secure against vandalism and tampering and should be fitted with a warning light to indicate when the power is on.

(e) All fluorescent lamp ballast units should be individually fused.

(f) Electrical fittings should have an appropriate index protection rating.

8.2 Minimizing Fire Hazard in the Air Conditioning Plant and Equipment

(a) Where air-conditioning is used, the plant should be installed in accordance with the advice of engineers.

(b) If the collection storage area(s) is located in a building in which other parts are air-conditioned, any air-conditioning system for the collection storage area(s) should not at any point communicate with ducts serving premises outside the collection storage area(s), not should ducts serving other premises pass through the collection storage area(s).

(c) If the collection storage area(s) is air-conditioned, all air-conditioning ducts including insulation and lining should be maintained regularly and kept free of dust. Ductwork should be installed with fire and smoke dampers.

(d) Fire dampers of a rating to match the compartment fire rating should be installed in areas where the ductwork passes through fire-compartment walls or floors. An automatic fire detector of the smoke-sensitive type should be installed at the outlet side of the fan. The operation of this detector should immediately shut down any air-conditioning system and activate a combination fire and smoke damper in the duct so that smoke from a fire outside the collection storage area(s) is prevented from entering the enclosure.

8.3 Fire Detection and Alarms

(a) Automatic fire-detection, alarm and automatic fire suppression systems should normally be consolidated into one continuous system that detects a fire, sounds an alarm, allows a set time for people to check whether the alarm is genuine and to leave the collection storage area(s), and then sets off an automatic suppression system.

(b) An automatic fire-detection and alarm system, covering all parts of the building, should be installed and maintained, and detailed guidance on the design, installation, inspection, testing and servicing of such systems should be provided by the local fire authorities or by the project managers. It may be desirable to install a high sensitivity detection system that is designed to detect a fire at the developing level before smoke, heat or flames are apparent in quantity.

(c) The central fire alarm control panel should provide a facility to monitor all components of the system, visually display the status of the system and transmit a signal to a remote monitoring centre. Panels should be located in a convenient central location that is either continuously staffed or is a least staffed (by trained and responsible individuals) while the facility is occupied or open. Where the panel location is not the probable fire brigade entry point, a supplementary or repeater panel should be provided for use by the fire authorities.

(d) Once a fire is detected, the system should: Activate the fire alarm Indicate the location of the fire Automatically transmit an alarm to the fire authority or central alarm

stations Shut down any mechanical air-handling system and operate dampers

in ducts to prevent the spread of smoke Close fire shutters or doors Start up any fire suppression and smoke extraction systems

9. Protection Against Water

9.1 Design and Materials

(a) Water may ingress either in natural liquid form due to rain, flooding, blocked guttering, leaking or burst pipes (possibly containing sewerage), condensation of from water used internally to extinguish a fire.

(b) Given the potentially catastrophic effects of water, the building should be designed to minimise or eradicate the risk of damage to the photographic works by water or excessive moisture, including in multi-storey repositories, the waterproofing of intermediate floors.

9.2 Drainage

(a) Open, untapped or unsealed drainage within areas housing the collection is unacceptable; wherever possible, these should be rerouted through other parts of the building away from the museum’s stores or collections activity areas. Provision must be made for the controlled and rapid egress of water away from areas adjacent to museum stores and drainage systems should be fitted with one-way valves to prevent water backing up and leaking into storage areas.

10. Protection Against Dust and Pollutants

10.1 Freedom from Pollutants

(a) The air in the collection storage area(s) should be kept free of air pollution, acidic and oxidizing gases and dust. The air quality inside the collection storage area(s) should be monitored regularly and in different seasons. Electrostatic copiers which emit ozone should not be installed or used within the collection storage area(s).

(b) It should be noted that photographic and audio-visual materials are, in particular, sensitive to oxidising pollutants, dusty air or other noxious gases.

(c) Exposed surfaces of walls and ceilings should comprise materials of limited combustibility, and the substrate materials behind the facing should be non-combustible, with their chemical stability tested before usage.

(d) Materials, paints and coatings that will minimise the emission of harmful gases and noxious substances (e.g. acidic gases) and volatile organic compounds, emitted as a result of inherent deterioration of such materials and coatings, should be selected.

(e) Floors and floor coverings should be coated with hard-wearing agents (e.g. epoxy resin), which are easy to clean, do not cause dust, are not easily damaged, non-slippery and transparent. A desirable, but not essential, quality could also be high acoustic properties (i.e. a material which deadens sound).

11. Protection against Biological Infestation

11.1 General

(a) A report on this issue has already been prepared for NCCAH by an independent pest control consultant (please refer to PART A, 6.4). Notwithstanding the recommendations made in this report, there are some key areas where particular care is needed.

11.2 Avoidance of Mould and Insect Infestation

(a) Documents accepted for storage should not be brought into the collection storage area(s) until they have been checked for insect or fungal infection and treated.

(b) A separate reception room should be provided for this purpose and precautions should be taken to ensure that any contamination is confined to that room.

11.3 Points of Entry

(a) The points at which any wiring or trunking enters and leaves collections storage rooms should be sealed against vermin and insects, as well as against air infiltration and dust. Ventilation or air-conditioning supply and extract ducts and any operable windows (NB. Collections storage areas should not normally contain windows which will allow ingress of natural light), should be fitted wish filters, meshes or screens to prevent the entry of pests into the stores.

(b) Doors must fit tightly into their frames and must be fitted with brushes, which securely engage with the floor or with other doors to block off ingress routes.

11.4 Monitoring

(a) Areas should be kept clean and must be subject to a regular programme of dusting and examination, with any unused spaced included in these protocols. The level of insect activity should be regularly assessed and, if necessary, a programme of pest management be initiated.

11.5 Food

(a) Gelatin, present in many modern photographs, is an edible nutrient and pests can devour this; effectively eating the photograph. Resultant defecation by pests may then deposit acidic chemicals on the surface of the image further damaging the work. Pests must therefore literally be starved of food opportunity so foodstuff must never be allowed or ingested in any store housing the collection and any materials that may provide a food source for insects (e.g. woollen carpets) should not be used.

12. Illumination

12.1 General

(a) Exposure, particularly where it is sustained, to light damages photographic works. The damage is cumulative, depending upon both the intensity of the light and the duration of the exposure, particularly from the ultra violet frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum. The intensity, duration and spectral distribution of any illumination in a collection storage area(s) should therefore be controlled to minimize damage. For these reasons and also in the interests of energy efficiency, lights should be switched off either manually or automatically (for example by means of a time switch or movement detectors) when not required and large storage areas should, if necessary, be divided into separate lighting zones.

12.2 Light Levels for Storage and Retrieval Purposes

(a) To assist storage and retrieval functions, general luminance in the collection storage area(s) should not be less than 100 lux nor more than 300 lux at floor level.

(b) The recommended ceiling for exposure to ultra-violet light within the visible spectrum is 75 µW per lumen, although if an upper limit of 50 µW per lumen is achievable then so much the better.

12.3 Electrical Circuits

(a) There should be switches outside the collection storage area(s) to isolate the electrical circuits that serve the collection storage area(s).

(b) A separate circuit of lighting for cleaning and maintenance is desirable.

(c) An emergency, independently powered lighting system should be provided for use in power loss.

12.4 Fluorescent Lighting

(a) Tubular fluorescent lamps may be used for repositories. They should be of high frequency, preferably be dimmable, fitted with diffusers and positioned along the length of each aisle and gangway. The positioning and operation of lamps should be so planned that aisles, when in use by staff, are not left in shadow. Lamps which according to the manufacturers’ specification exceed 10 µW per lumen of ultraviolet radiation should be fitted with an effective ultraviolet filter, cutting off lights of wavelength shorter than 400 nm. The fittings should not obstruct access to the shelves and there should be a minimum distance of 500 mm between a lamp and the nearest storage housing.

13. Storage And Production Equipment

13.1 General

(a) Shelving should be planned to meet the needs of the particular collection storage area(s). It should provide safe and effective storage for archival housings whatever their size and shape, combined with ease of withdrawal and replacement.

(b) Documents should not protrude beyond the outer edge of the shelves. In positioning the shelving, care should be taken to allow for human or

mechanical access to all parts of the floor and to shelving for cleaning purposes, as the accumulation of dust etc. may prove harmful to the documents or to those who work in the collection storage area(s).

(c) Collection storage area(s) shelving, whether static or mobile, should: Be strong enough to carry the potential load Be of material that is durable and non-combustible and will not emit

substances harmful to the stored material in ordinary use or in the event of fire

Be easily adjustable, without mechanical aids, to accommodate units of varying size and shape and permit arrangement of documents in proper relation to each other

Items or containers should not be stored so tightly on shelves that they cannot be removed easily.

Not have features or properties potentially damaging to works or people, for example sharp angles, projections, unstable chemical composition

Permit free circulation of air and, in particular, not be positioned against an outside wall

Allow sufficient space between the shelving and walls for cleaning Have provision for clear labelling each run, bay and shelf.

13.2 Metal Shelving

(a) All shelving should be fabricated from commercially available carbon steel. Where the design of the system is such that steels of higher grade are required, the supplier should confirm their incorporation. All components should be free from burrs, rust, sharp edges, scale and grease before being finished.

13.3 Static Shelving

(a) The dimensions of the shelf should be long enough and deep enough to support the material fully: a nominal length of 1m, measured from the centre of one upright to the centre of the next, is standard.

(b) The loading capacity to meet the specific requirement of the collection storage area(s) and the acceptable deflection limit in any shelf should be agreed between the user and the supplier.

(c) The fore edge of each shelf should be rounded or so turned that there is no sharp or angular edge to damage documents, injure people or obstruct the withdrawal or replacement of documents from the shelf itself or from the shelf below.

(d) The uprights should be strong enough to support the total loading capacity of a bay, and the shelf-clips or bearers should be strong enough to support the loading capacity of a shelf.

(e) The uprights and shelf-bearers should not obstruct the withdrawal or replacement of documents or their containers. Open uprights should be used to allow the free circulation of air.

(f) 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 a minimum of 155cm, unless either suitable mechanical arrangements are made for the safe retrieval of

documents from a greater height or there is sufficient ceiling height for a multi-tier system.

(g) Cross bracing in the bays of double-sided runs should be kept to a minimum in order to allow through-storage of large documents.

13.4 Mobile Shelving

(a) Mobile shelving should be installed only on track supported on level floors.

(b) To prevent the spread of dust concrete floor surfaces should be sealed where mobile shelving is to be used. Mobile shelving should not be installed directly on to compressible floor coverings. To assist air circulation, there should be a minimum gap of 25mm between units.

(c) The construction of mobile shelving should be such that the movement of runs cannot damage the archives stored in them. All archive housings should be housed completely within the depth of the shelving. (i.e. with no overhang)

(d) The method and speed of operation, acceleration and braking should be such that archive containers cannot slide and fall off the shelves.

(e) Mobile runs that move sideways, one in front of the other, are not recommended unless there is a clearance of at least 150mm between them.

(f) Manufacturers’ advice should be sought about the most suitable system for each specific application. The system used will depend on the weight of the fully loaded runs and the number to be moved in any one operation.

(g) The operation of all mobile systems should be possible with one hand: mechanically-assisted, hand-cranked shelving is preferred as the fire hazards associated with powered electric or pneumatic shelving are minimized.

(h) Locking devices may be fitted to ensure that mobile units remain static when not in use, and present no risk to people.

(i) The length of runs of manually operated mobile shelving is normally limited by the imposed load on the base and hence the level of effort required to move the unit.

(j) Powered systems should be equipped with safety devices to prevent injury to people.

(k) If the height-to-depth ratio of runs is such that sudden braking, acceleration or uneven loading might cause them to tip or shake, anti-tip devices should be fitted. Units with a height-to-depth ratio of less than 5:1 are normally stable. It is recommended that units with a height-to-depth ratio between 5:1 and 7.5:1 be fitted with anti-tip devices. Units with a height-to-depth ratio in excess of 7.5:1 but less than 10:1 need to be specially designed for stability. Those with a height-to-depth ratio greater than 10:1 are unstable and should not be used.

(l) Only those instructed in its correct use should operate mobile shelving. The instructions in manufacturers’ operation and maintenance manuals should be followed at all times.

(m)To assist in fire control, the front and rear sections of double-sided runs may be separated with solid metal partitions every five or six runs.

(n) Where an automatic fire-suppression system is installed, the runs of any mobile shelving should be set apart by not less than 25mm when the collection storage area(s) is unoccupied in order to assist the penetration of the fire-fighting agent to all parts of the racking.

(o) The arrangement of runs should be determined by the collection storage area(s)’ needs. Unnecessary multiplication of gangways and aisles should be avoided.

(p) Runs should be so placed that they are separated from walls by a gangway or an aisle. They should be set at right angles to any windows to reduce the harmful effects of light.

(q) Gangways should be not less than 1100 mm wide. Aisles should be not less than 750mm wide, but in any event wide enough to allow the withdrawal and replacement of documents without damage.

13.5 Storage of Outsize Works

(a) The recommendations for safety, materials, finish and ease of withdrawal and replacement of works that apply to equipment for the storage of works of normal size, apply equally to equipment for the storage of outsize material such as panoramic or large format photographs, plans, diagrams and working drawings

(b) For ease of handling, the storage area for such material should be as near as possible within the collection storage area(s) to the place at which they are consulted.

(c) Equipment should as far as possible, allow outsize material to be stored flat (unrolled and unfolded) to avoid risk of strain or distortion.

(d) Vertical storage is not recommended for such documents.

(e) Outsize photographic formats should be stored either in shallow drawers in map-storage cabinets or on special collection storage area(s)-type shelving. For ease and safety of withdrawal and replacement of outsize material, cabinets and shelving should not exceed 1400mm in height.

(f) Where banks of drawers are in use, each drawer should be fitted with an interlock to prevent more than one drawer at a time being opened. The bottom drawer should be at least 150mm above floor level. Drawers should move along their shorter edge. They should be easy to handle and smooth running, with bearers to support them to prevent their canting when fully open. They should be fitted with a safety stop, to prevent inadvertent total withdrawal, a protective flap inside the front edge and a lip of not less than 150mm at the back. There should be provision for labelling each drawer.

(g) Shelving should have solid backs, sides and top, and be fitted with a front dust cover; the drawers should be lined with inert shock absorbent material such as Plaztozote.

(h) If no other form of storage is suitable, outsize photographic materials may be stored hanging, provided that, to prevent distortion, provision is made to support their weight for the whole of their width. Works stored in this way should be mounted on guards and supports should be attached to the guards, not the documents.

(i) Irregularly sized works may be stored on shelving which is accessible from both sides.

(j) They should be placed in a single row on each shelf or pair of shelves at right angles to a gangway but should not project into a gangway.

(k) Photographic work which, when rolled, is too long to be stored across shelving accessible from both sides, should be stored on specially designed shelves of suitable depth, or lengthways on standard cantilevered shelving.

(l) In order to prevent documents rolling off, shelves may be canted towards the rear of the bay/shelf at an angle not exceeding 10° or fitted with a rounded lip. Shelves should also:

Have a solid back not less than 150mm high for the whole of their length

Be set with the longest side parallel to an aisle or gangway for ease of withdrawal and replacement of the documents

Have rolled or turned fore edges Have provision for labelling If supported on wall brackets, be set with at least 75mm between

the solid back and the wall to allow for air circulation.

13.6 Storage of Outsize Albums

(a) Outsize bound albums should be stored flat, i.e. with the spine parallel, not at right angles, to the shelf.

(b) The shelf should support the whole superficial area of each volume.

(c) The spine of each volume should face outward.

(d) If outsize volumes in landscape format are stored with volumes in portrait format, double-sided shelving should be used. Any special requirements with regard to shelf deflection should be discussed with the supplier.

13.7 Mechanical Handling Devices

(a) All power-operated mechanical equipment and machines should be fitted with a readily accessible emergency stop system.

(b) Protective containers must be used if documents are to be put into a mechanical handling system.

(c) Book hoists or lifts should be fitted with shutters or doors to prevent damage to documents or obstruction of the hoist or lift. The lift car should be sealed against ingress of dust, oil and dirt.

13.8 Cupboards and Chests

(a) In some instances where a building or room does not come fully meet the recommendations of this standard but where relative humidity does not exceed the recommended levels for the respective materials to be stored, storage of documents in a unit such as a cupboard or chest may provide additional security, climatic inertia and resistance against fire, water and light.

This may assist in producing acceptable storage conditions which otherwise could not be obtained practically. Where this strategy is adopted, units should not be positioned against an outside wall and should not themselves be constructed of materials which might be harmful to the documents.

14. Specialist Packing Requirements

14.1 Glass Negatives

(a) Many of the measures involved in the care and storage of glass negatives rely on a common sense approach bolstered by specialist supplies. Simple methods can be adopted to limit human error and minimise the effects of the environment on the images. These will prevent damage to photographs at fairly low cost. Remember: the least sophisticated solutions are often the most effective.

(b) There are four areas which merit particular attention when devising a strategy for preserving glass negatives:

The general environment under which the negatives are stored;

The cabinets or containers within which the negatives are stored;

The housings for each negative; Storage techniques.

(c) The general storage/display environment is the most important consideration in any photographic archive, and the most cost-effective investment. Consideration of these requirements will inevitably depend upon location, size and importance of collection and, of course, availability of financial resources.

(d) The general storage/display environment is the most important consideration in any photographic archive, and the most cost-effective investment.

(e) The bulk of glass plate negatives tend to contain gelatin within the emulsion layer. A relative humidity (RH) of above 70% combined with a temperature of above 22oC will hasten fungal and mould growth on the emulsion. The resultant spores then consume the gelatin, a nutrient, and the image-layer begins to disappear.

(f) The primary action must therefore be to assess the environment within the storeroom to provide a profile of periodic fluctuation. Calibrated measuring instruments will be required to help with this exercise).

(g) After evaluation the climate in the storeroom can be adjusted to create an appropriate environment. RH may be controlled by using small amounts of anhydrous silica gel which will absorb water from the atmosphere; temperature can be crudely controlled by fan or heater.

(h) At the more expensive end of the scale, sophisticated equipment such as a dehumidifier and thermostatic heating may be employed. As a minimum guide, however, the storeroom should offer stable, dry, cool storage.

APPENDIX A: Recommended Suppliers

Requirement Supplier NotesDisplay Cases Netherfield Visual Ltd.

Hardgreen Business Park, Dalkieth, Edinburgh, United Kingdom EH22 3NXTel: 00 44 (0)131 654 1333Fax: 00 44 (0) 131 654 2666showcases@netherfield.co.uk

TESS Demountable5 Gernon Walk, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, SG6 3HWTel: 00 44 (0)1462 484444Fax: 00 44 (0)1462 700582tesssystems@btinternet.com

Paints Please refer to Appendix E Dulux and Crown range of paints as recommended by British Museum

Blockboard\concrete\plaster (allowed to `age' for at least 3 months) treated with ECOS matt paint. Insulate any external walls.

Cabinets Already procured by NCCAHIllumination and Lighting Designers

Erco Lighting Ltd.38 Dover Street, London, United Kingdom, W1X 3RBTel: 00 44 (0)20 7344 4900Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7409 1530www.erco.com

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. 2 Madeira Parade, Madeira Avenue, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, United Kingdom PO22 8DXTel: 00 44 (0)1243 826441Fax: 00 44 (0)1243 829691www.sun-x.co.uk

Mixture of u-v protected (SUN-X MT) tubular fluorescent and <200 lux modular track spot lighting.

Doors & Ironmongery

Abloy Security Ltd.2-3 Hatters LaneCroxley Business Park, Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom WD18 8QYTel: 00 44 (0)1923 255066Fax: 00 44 (0)1923 230281www.abloysecurity.co.uk

Double-door access with secure deadlocks. Abloy locks on external access apertures; off-suite Abloy key access via internal doors. All doors insulated.

Floor Heckmondwike FB Ltd. PO Box 7, Wellington Mills, Liversedge, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom WF15 7XATel: 00 44 (0)1924 406161Fax: 00 44 (0)800 136769www.heckmondwike-fb.co.uk

Level concrete flooring (allowed to `age' for at least 3 months); carpeted with acrylic compact short pile carpet or carpet tiles (backed by polypropylene or bitumen) of less than 3mm; should contain minimum of dye/anti-static/anti-flammable/pest resistant compounds. Secured by recommended adhesives (Stycobond F41, Laybond 79)

Not to be used: rubber carpet underlay or carpet tiles with PVC backing; wool/wool mixture carpets.

Power Outlets (number & positions)

SI Electrical Ltd.12 Greenwich Quay, Clarence Road, London, United Kingdom SE8 3EYTel: 00 44 (0)20 8694 5250Fax: 00 44 (0) 8694 5270www.si-electrical.com

To be determined by project managers during fit out stages

Heating, Ventilation & Filtration

Already procured by NCCAH (Cosentini) Filtration to remove atmospheric pollutants (e.g. SO2, H2S etc)

Security Advice National Museums Security AdvisorThe Acquisition, Export and Loans Unit, Museum, Libraries and Archives Council83 Victoria Street, London, SW1JH 0HW

Tel: 020 7078 6283Fax: 020 7078 6294www.mla.gov.uk

APPENDIX B: Recommended Storage Parameters for Photographic Materials

Type of Photographic Material

Optimum Storage Conditions Practical Working Environment Conditions

Documents on Paper

Photographic material with gelatin emulsions including black and white prints and negatives

Glass negatives

Albumen and collodion paper prints

Cool storage (cooler and drier conditions increase chemical stability)

Stable environment avoiding cyclic fluctuation

Light and ultra-violet controlled environments

Clean, dry environment

Free of ingress of pollutants

Protected from fire, water, biological infestation and pests

Provided black and white silver prints have been correctly processed they are basically stable to limited amounts of light i.e. between 50-100 lux. However, extended exposure to daylight or fluorescent light sources which contain ultra-violet light (UV) to varying concentrations will cause a photochemical reaction within the image. The extent of this deterioration depends on the nature of the process, amount of exposure, the length of time and the intensity of the light source.

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Ultra-violet

Light Intensity

15-18 o +/- 1

40% +/- 5

<75 microwatts per lumen

100 lux max

Colour slides and negatives

Colour processes

The nature of the pigments and dyes used in the production of colour photographic images means that they are inherently unstable. Light is the major enemy of colour images, although some processes have even been known to deteriorate in the dark!

Colour slides are also vulnerable to extended exposure.

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Ultra-violet

Light Intensity

5- 8 oC +/- 1

35% +/- 5

<75 microwatts per lumen

100 lux max

Cased images: Daguerrotype

s Wet collodion

negatives and ambrotypes

Tintypes

Needless to say, with early photographic images of an evanescent nature (e.g. daguerreotypes) light control is crucial.

If no hygroscopic material used (i.e. gelatin) a lower limit of 15 oC is recommended.

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Ultra-violet

Light Intensity

>5 oC

within range 29-52%

<75microwatts per lumen

50 lux max

Magnetic recording media:

Temperature

>5 oC

within range 29-

CD / DVD Optical or

laser discs Computer

discs

Relative Humidity

Ultra-violet

Light Intensity

52%

<75microwatts per lumen

50 lux max

APPENDIX C: General Conservation Information

The following sources offer guidance on how best to preserve and conserve photographic images by promoting proper examination, handling and storage procedures, and advice on remedial conservation.

Background to Photographic Processes - Bibliography

A Guide to Early Photographic ProcessesCoe B and Haworth-Booth M (1983)Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Keepers of Light: A History and Working Guide to Early Photographic ProcessesCrawford W (1979)Morgan and Morgan Inc., New York

Photographic Processes (Information Sheet 21)Gill A T (1978)Museums Association, London

Collections Management & Conservation - Bibliography

Care and Identification of Nineteenth Century PhotographsReilly J M (1986)Eastman Kodak, Rochester

The Care of Black and White Photographic Collections: Identification of Processes (Technical Bulletin 6)Rempel S (1979) Canadian ConservationInstitute, Ottawa. [Available from CCI, National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, Canada KI1 OM8]

Manual of Curatorship (Conservation and Storage: Photographic Materials) Fleming A E (1984)Museums Association/Butterworths, London

The Preservation and Restoration of Photographic Materials in Archives and Libraries: a RAMP Study with GuidelinesHendricks K B (1984) UNESCO, Paris

The Life of a PhotographKeefe L and Inch D (1984) Focal Press, London

The Care of PhotographsRempel S (1987)Nick Lyons Books

Administration of Photographic CollectionsRitzenhaler, Minoff and Long (1984) , Society of American Archivists, Chicago. [Available from SAA, 600 S Federal Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA]

Historic Photograph Collection Management at the Museum of London (Museums Journal 82(2) Seaborne M and Neufeld S (1982)Museums Association, London

The Care and Conservation of Photographic MaterialSwan A (1981)Crafts Council, London

Collection, Use and Care of Historical PhotographsWeinstein R and Booth L (1977) American Association for State and Local History, Tennessee. [Available from AASLH, Nashville, Tennessee, USA]

National and International Conservation Standards

Standards in the Museum Care of Photographic Collections 1996Museums & Galleries Commission, London, 1996

Recommendations for Processing and Storage of Silver Gelatin MicrofilmBS 1153:1975

The Storage and Exhibition of Archival Documents (Section 12 pp 6-7)BS 5454:2000

Recommendations for Storage Conditions for Silver Image Photographic Plates for Record Purposes (revised 1985)BS 5687:1979

Photography: Practice for the Storage of Processed Safety Photographic Film (revised 1985)ISO 5466:1980

Photography: Silver Image Photographic Paper Prints for Record Purposes - Storage Conditions (revised 1985)ISO 6051:1980

Photographic Conservators

NB Photographic conservation is a service activity offered to institutions by trained individuals. It frequently uses specialist equipment, employs sophisticated techniques, and often has financial implications. The following are generally recommended by the Institute of Paper Conservation for photographic conservation advice and work:

Susie Clark3/4 Hill Top, Grafton, York YO5 9QLTel. 01423 322744

Ruth Prosser85/87 Heworth Village, Heworth, York, YO31 1ANTel. 01904 438315

Magda Kozera9 Stamford Brook Avenue, London W6 OYBTel: 020 8741 9253

Department of ConservationMuseum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HNTel. 0171 600 3699

The British MuseumDepartment of Scientific Research and Conservation, London WC1B 3DGTel. 0171 636 1555

Suppliers of Specialist Conservation Supplies

NB. The following suppliers offer materials for photographic storage. The Museum cannot test these materials and therefore cannot guarantee their suitability.

SUPPLIER CONTACT DETAILS PRODUCTSConservation by Design

Timecare Works, 5 Singer Way, Woburn Industrial Estate, Kempston, BedfordMK42 7AWTel: 01234 853555Fax: 01234 852334

Conservation design, products and consultancy

Conservation Resources Ltd.

Unit 1, Pony Road, Horspath Industrial Estate, Cowley, Oxon OX4 2RTel: 01865 747755

Paper enclosures, envelopesPolyester sleeves, sheetsMountboardSilversafe, Alpha-Cellulose papersStorage boxes

Geo Ryder & Co Ltd

Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1DGTel: 01908 75524

Paper enclosures, envelopesSolander boxesStorage boxes

Secol Ltd Howlett Way, Thetford, Norfolk

Polyester sleeves, sheets

IP24 1HZTel: 01842 752341

COTTON GLOVES may be obtained from your local protective clothing supplier.

Specialist Storage Furniture and Equipment Manufacturers

NB. This list is not comprehensive.

SUPPLIER CONTACT DETAILSH C Slingsby plc(Manufacturers of Lifting Equipment)

Preston Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1JFTel: 01274 721591Fax: 01274 723044

System Stores Solutions Ham Lane, Lenham, Maidstone, Kent ME17 2LHTel: 01622 859522

StortechLinney Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire OL2 8HBTel: 01706 840422Fax: 01706 882340Museum Polstore Brooklands Works, Wintersells Road,

Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7LQTel: 01932 340666Fax: 01932 336261

Bruynzeel Storage Systems Pembroke Road, Stocklake, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP20 1DGTel: 01296 395081Fax: 01296 86807

APPENDIX D: Proposed Organisational Roles And Staffing Levels

Hierarchical Structure Overall Responsibilities

Government LiaisonAll Qatari MuseumsAppoints Trustees

Strategic Responsibility and Vision for NPMBusiness DirectionOverall Project Management

Policy and ProcedureDelivery of Outputs

Director for Museums & Antiquities Department

(National Council for Culture, Arts & Heritage)

Director(National Photographic

Museum)

Head Curator Museum Manager

Personal Assistant

CURATORIAL SECTION

Head Curator

Conservation Manager(7 staff)

Stores Manager

Documentation Manager

Exhibition Manager

(11 staff)

Secretariat (4 staff)

Curators(4 staff)

Collections Manager Librarian(5 staff)

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION SECTION

Museum Manager

Communications & PR

Manager(5 staff)

Operations, Finance & Human

Resources Manager (9 staff)

Estates Manager(6 staff)

Design Manager IT Manager(8 staff)

Secretariat

Technical Services Manager

Visitor Services Manager

Trading Manager

APPENDIX E: British Museum Paint Test

NB. This represents most recent version available to the Museum – updatable versions may be obtained directly from the British Museum