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Advice on this storage problem, from fellow list members, would be greatly
appreciated:
We are going to be leasing newly-built storage space while the building we
are acquiring for our new library and museum is under renovation. The
storage space is on the ground floor. The flooring is concrete. We plan to
store our art library (approx. 20,000 vols of art reference), paintings and
works on paper there. For this purpose, we plan to set-up (raised off the
floor) shelving units to store all of the items which for the most part will
be packed in crates, boxes, etc.
A colleague just informed me that the concrete floors will tend to absorb
large amounts of moisture, and that nothing sensitive should be
placed/stored *directly* on the floor. This remark raised a concern that the
moisture might even affect the items stored up on the shelving
units--especially books and works on paper.
My question to the members of the list is: Will concrete floors (the
supposed moisture they absorb) pose a threat to books, works on paper or
even paintings if those items are stored up on the shelves? Are there any
special steps that would need to be taken? Do we need to cover the floors?--
Again, I want to mention that the space is all on the ground floor, i.e.
above grade, but the concrete floor is (I assume) laid over the ground. Is
the moisture absorbed from the ground below, or the air above the concrete
floor? Or have I been altogether misinformed about concrete floors absorbing
moisture?
Mark
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Mark Ast, Ph.D.
Curator
Museum & Library of Barbizon
& Pre-Impressionist Art
The Schlesinger Foundation
email: Mark Ast <[log in to unmask]>
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