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Preventing and Reporting Public Records Disasters/Emergencies

Reporting: In the case of a public records disaster or emergency, please contact the Commission on Public Records at (317) 232-3380 as soon as possible for assistance in salvaging records and discussing conservation possibilities. Agency personnel have experience in disaster recovery of paper, film, and electronic records, and are available to assist the public in the event of disaster.

Prevention:

  1. Never store records in a basement or attic.
  2. Never store records near water pipes or air conditioning.
  3. Never store records near a heat source-the ideal climate for records storage is between 65 and 70 degrees, 55 percent humidity.
  4. Store records away from light: sunlight fades and damages records.
  5. Wash hands before handling records: natural oils from your skin contaminate records.
  6. Keep copies of critical records at a separate location, or share with relatives.
  7. Do not tape, paper clip, staple, or fold records.
  8. Never use ballpoint or felt-tip pen to label records.
  9. Always use a soft, number-two pencil to label the backs of photographs.
  10. Always place plastic covers over computer equipment when not in use.
  11. Damage to computers, disks, and peripheral equipment requires professional restoration. Do not attempt to use your equipment after a disaster as any damage to equipment could cause further harm to records.
  12. Be sure to migrate electronic records when you install new software on your computer.

Preservation: The Conservation Division assists the State Archives and Indiana government in general with the preservation of delicate records.