Maine requires local government agencies to have a vault. Historical societies that accept local government records into their holdings must be approved as alternative repositories (this approval comes from the Archives Advisory Board), but they are not required to have vaults. The Rules for Disposition of Local Government Records (Maine State Archives Administrative Rules Chapter 10)specify NFPA 232, Protection of Records, as the standard for vaults at local government agencies. When a local government official or historical society official asks me for a source of guidance that's not in a publication that must be purchased from NFPA, I usually refer the person to http://www.cslib.org/vaults.htm . Here are the minimum guidelines for physical storage that an alternative repository needs to meet (for the complete requirements, see ftp://ftp.state.me.us/pub/sos/cec/rcn/apa/29/255/255c010.doc - specifically, Section 10): 1) Provide security to prevent the loss of records both in storage and in reference areas. This shall at a minimum include locks on all doors and windows, plus an intruder alarm system and a fire alarm system. Minimum security shall also include direct supervision of researchers at all times when records are available for access. 2) Provide storage facilities situated in a physically safe location (i.e., not located in a flood plain; not located next to a hazardous chemical storage area; etc.). These facilities should have heating/ventilation/air conditioning capable of maintaining temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and of holding relative humidity to less than 50 percent. [log in to unmask] is our senior processing archivist. He can be very helpful with questions about storage and handling of permanent records. I'm the "designated hitter" for local records matters, and I'm [log in to unmask] With all of that said, though, posting to this list is one excellent way to get information from a wide variety of experts! I do that myself, from time to time. <g> Best, Nina Nina M. Osier, Director Division of Records Management Services Maine State Archives [log in to unmask] A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>