Moving Archival Collections

Relocation

Why move?What kind of move?Will you be moving, too?Who is in charge?On what scale?Access: Will your collections remain open to

researchers?

My Move

Small scale archival moveChallenge: five collections, five locationsPart of a larger structure; little fish, big pondNew location: new archivist in chargeArtifacts and reference materials

Sisters of Mercy

Steps: the Planning Process

PlanningResearchRequest For ProposalBidder’s MeetingSelecting a MoverPackingArrivalCelebrating a job well done

Planning

How much will it cost?, (do you have funding?)

Who’s in charge?How much stuff? What kinds of stuff?Will you have cooperation of your

organization?When does it need to happen? Establish

TimelineThe early bird gets the worm!

Be Flexible

Our Plans

Mercy Archivists have been collaborating since 2003Selected moving company in April of this yearAccess : Mid-Atlantic former regional collections will

be closed until the move has been completed in October 2012

Cost is a factor – move must fall in fiscal year 2012-2013

Small scale move – approx 1500 linear feet, artifactsCOO has been a great allyUnprocessed collections

Research – Where do you begin?

What kinds of movers are out there?How much will you need to move?Measuring your collectionsIssues of ownership, donor agreementsInsurance concernsSAA Listserv – recommendations, experiences Moving Archives: The Experiences of Eleven Archivists, Edited by

John Newman and Walter Jones. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2002. x,124 pp. Available from the Society of American Archivists, $30.00 members, $35.00 non-members. ISBN 0-8108-4500-8.

Helpful Library/Archival Movers

SAA ListservOther Sisters of

Mercy ArchivistsInterviews: Made

initial contact with 10-12 companies

Mercy Heritage Center

Clancy-Cullen Moving Systems

Hallett MoversWilliam B. MeyerNational Library

Relocations

Our Research

Request For Proposal

A request for proposal (RFP) is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is presented for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific service. The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision and is meant to allow the risks and benefits to be identified clearly up front.

Draw up Project specifications: Company Experience Company Project Team Route Planning Security Insurance and Risk Management Pricing References

Our RFP

Cover Letter; Explain who you are, your archives and your organization

How will company respond? Timeliness, professionalism

Best fit for our organization, in accordance with mission?

What are our ‘no-compromise,’ issues?

Bidder’s Meeting

After initial interviews with companies, invite several to a Bidder’s Meeting with all the important players

As per our COO: the meeting is for them to ask you clarifying questions

Good way to get a feel for the company: Competent? Giving you their undivided attention?

Selecting a Moving Company

Proposals have come in, how do they look?Best fit? Cost? Feasibility?Side by side comparisonConduct second round of interviews if

necessaryThrow out top and bottom contendersAlways keep your options open

So Far so Good

We went with a non-library moving companyGood price, willing to work with us, cater to

our particularitiesWill provide packing – age and physical

nature of move is a factorOther Sisters of Mercy communities have

recommended the company and staffSatisfies our mission

Things I’ve Learned

You can’t plan early enoughEnlist help – COO has been invaluable – dealing

with professional companies, outside worldComfort is a factor: have to meet those involvedWhat is best for your collection?Anticipate using markers for labeling cartons of

packed boxes