Physically preparing your records

Departments and other public record bodies which transfer records to The National Archives must ensure that the records have been prepared for transfer in accordance with The National Archives’ preparation standards.

Records transferred to The National Archives have been identified as being of high value and worthy of permanent preservation and therefore the primary aim of careful physical preparation of the records is to ensure that they remain intact and usable for as long as possible.

Download a stationery order form (DOC, 0.05MB)

Read our comprehensive guide to transferring records to The National Archives or find our quick guides on specific topics below.

Preparing records for transfer to The National Archives (PDF, 2.16MB)

Box board specifications (PDF, 0.02MB)

Conservation

Caring for your books (PDF, 0.96MB)

Caring for your photographs (PDF, 0.30MB)

Caring for your prints, drawings and watercolours (PDF, 0.88MB)

How to deal with wet documents (PDF, 0.05MB)

Where should I go for advice on conservation? (PDF, 0.04MB)