Storage spaces are difficult to monitor. Some of your collection lives in storage, maybe most of your collection. Environmental monitoring for storage is important, and Conserv makes it easy for our customers to do it.
Storage doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic
You aren’t in your storage spaces checking the environment as often as you should be, especially if the spaces are offsite. Without being physically present, you lose our first line of defense of someone saying “it’s a little warm in here” or “there’s water on the floor”.
Manual data loggers require you to physically get up and go to a space to download data or to see the conditions. This is a problem in all of your spaces, that gets worse in storage spaces – we’re simply not getting data frequently enough to have real-time awareness when there’s a problem.
What you should know: Real-time monitoring in storage spaces reduces your risks.
One of our clients had an HVAC issue in a storage that went on for four days before somebody realized that the AC wasn’t working. Yikes! That collection now has Conserv real-time monitoring and the collections manager and the facilities people get a text when there’s an issue. Much better!
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WiFi doesn’t work well in storage
Congratulations if your collection has good WiFi coverage (most don’t). You probably installed it for your visitors, and you probably don’t have a lot of visitors in your storage spaces. In our experience, storage spaces usually don’t have WiFi coverage – this has been a constraint to setting up wireless monitoring.
With Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) sensors you can easily (and inexpensively) get wireless in your storage spaces without having to worry about WiFi. Conserv uses LPWAN technology to provide wireless coverage in campus environments, difficult buildings, and storage spaces. WiFi is a problem for your collection that’s even more of an issue for storage.
What you should know: Wireless monitoring doesn’t require WiFi anymore.
One of our clients with offsite storage was checking their manual data loggers once a month, and someone had to drive over there. Not great! Now they can see the data in real-time without any hassle. An improvement!
Accountability for storage companies
Your storage partners have committed to a high standard of care for your collection, and you should have easy access to the environmental data that backs up that commitment. Forward-looking storage businesses are using wireless monitoring and online applications to provide a better experience for their customers.
What you should know: Expect more from your storage partners when it comes to monitoring.
We have a storage client that’s using Conserv to better monitor their spaces (a clear benefit to them) and they’re starting to make that data available to their clients (a differentiated offering for their customers).
Monitoring for storage has improved
Your storage spaces have a unique set of risks that make wireless monitoring a good option. Fortunately, there are now quality wireless monitoring options that don’t require getting the IT department involved.
At Conserv we’re committed to building monitoring tools that work for collections professionals, and that means having a solution that works for every unique situation you experience.
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If you have any questions about environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, or just want to talk about preventative conservation, please reach out to us! Don’t forget to check out our blog or join our community of collections care professionals where you can discuss hot topics, connect with other conservators or even take a course to get familiar with the Conserv platform.
