Archival repositories are very firmly divided into public and non-public spaces. Many of you have seen our public spaces. I want to invite you into some of the less travelled areas in our repository, and to talk about how these areas are used.
Our first space is an essential component of most archives – rows and rows of mobile shelving. This shelving, which can be moved electronically by pressing a button, or manually by using a hand crank, allows us to store many more boxes and books than static shelving units, as the units can be closely packed when they are not in use, and then easily opened up when we want to access an aisle. Each shelf is mounted onto a trackway, which allows the archivist to move them with very little effort. It is important to note that this kind of shelving can only be installed if the floor is reinforced and capable of supporting its weight.
A student from Agnes Scott College recently wrote a short story about a murder that took place in an archives, and the body had been hidden in closed mobile shelving! The student interviewed me about archival practices before completing the story, and then asked me to check it for any inaccuracies.
