Many businesses are going paperless but the more people scream ‘go green’ the more others stay where they are with paper records. Why? Paper storage still works. So do locked rooms, and data storage is more secure… Until it isn’t.
Paper is Valuable
Vast quantities of World War II records are stored at national archives and libraries across the world. Many of these have been digitised but paper copies are much more valuable because it’s our history. Health service institutions are another example where paper records are a normal occurrence. In this case nobody has taken responsibility for sorting through the papers and creating digital copies. Granted, it would be a long and arduous task to process the entire contents of, for instance, a hospital. It appears that without significant investment those still using paper records will probably continue to do so. However, there is still a solution to revamp the system.
Store Paper Records Properly
One way to optimise the space used for keeping paper records is by using mobile shelving. Each shelving unit is movable, giving quick access to the contents due to a wheeled traction system and rotary handle. By closing aisles which are not in use you can minimise the footprint and save space. Mobile shelving becomes more efficient as you increase the number of shelves, and so will be more cost-effective with time. It isn’t a cheap solution, nor it is easy to install but if paper files keep coming in, optimising space becomes a necessity.
Arguably it’s not the best idea to keep records on paper as data storage is cheap, secure and has no physical size. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Whether it is too expensive a job to digitise all paper files, or these records are too valuable, having storage rooms is still a good enough solution. Optimising its space is however another issue altogether and needs to be dealt with when the time comes.
If you need any help with selecting a proper system for paper records, let us know in the comments below!
