Previous attempts
to replace the existing, outdated facilities have been burdened
by the high cost of a facility incorporating both storage
and access, but also by the contrasting requirements of
the two functions - ample vault-type storage on the one
hand, and convenient public access on the other. The Archives’
Accommodation Strategy separates the two interconnected
functions based on those requirements.
The most practical location for the storage
component is away from the high density urban core, protected
from intrusion and hazards found in the city. Conversely,
the public access component needs to be centrally located,
close to both public transit and the seat of government,
so that it can best serve its primary clientele.
The strategy is simple - put the two facilities where they
need to be and connect them with a highly reliable retrieval
service. This is not unusual, many other government archives
have offsite storage arrangements. The radical and truly
unique aspect of the initiative is that storage and retrieval
has been solved through a public - private partnership.
The Archives of Ontario now purchases a service that includes
the storage of its holdings in a controlled and secure environment
and the retrieval of stored materials upon request.
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