To follow up on my posting regarding the clear plastic and Tyvek sleeves
that can be purchased from Something Special Enterprises, I have dug up an
old receipt and see that their phone number is (412) 487-2626, address -
P.O. Box 74, Allison Park, PA 15101. I see that there is a handwritten
email address (this all dates from 2001, so I cannot guarantee it all is
still current).

The clear 3 mil plastic (it does not specify PVC or any other specifics)
sleeve is product #422 $21 per 1000 at the time) and the Tyvek looks like
it is #830 ($10 per 100). They also have the Tyvek sleeve with a clear
circular window. If anyone wants to see a sample, they can send me their
address offlist and I could slip one of each in an envelope and mail it off
to you.

I am interested to hear Tom bring up the spectre of disc warpage. I have
never seen this, but maybe it is so subtle that it affects playback and
ripping but is not readily visible to the eye. As I have stated before, I
can count on one (or maybe two) hands the times I have experienced a CD
gone bad and even in these cases, I can't say that they may not have been
defective from the start. Am I totally out in left field in regard to my
experience? I am not at all eager to start a major migration to some hard
drive/server arrangement (I've already got way too many unfinished projects
going), but some clear evidence that a significant percentage of my CDs
were likely to rot or warp in the next couple of decades might give me a
cause to get going.

Peter Hirsch


On Thu, Nov 7, 2013 at 10:06 AM, Carl Pultz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Martin,
>
> I imagine that the type of use your collection gets is an important
> determinant of to how to store it. If quick, varied accessibility is
> important, this story may be relevant. The radio station (public
> classical/jazz) I used to work for was bursting with LPs and CDs until a
> complete rehab of the studios and offices was funded a decade ago. They
> ditched most of the vinyl (glad I wasn't there for that massacre), but
> faced
> a choice about what to do with the beer coasters.
>
> One choice was to rip them to server storage and pack all the discs away in
> the basement. At the time, that was considered an immature process,
> requiring a lot of planning and squabbles about standards, data security,
> and adaptation of the catalog system. Plus, how to decide what to rip and
> what not? Mainly, the programmers objected because having access to the
> booklets and ability to browse by label/catalog# was vital, and they didn't
> want to give up that traditional way of using the resource. Replacing the
> jewel cases was itself a time-sink with no perfect alternative.
>
> Their solution was to install movable shelving, mounted on tracks in the
> floor, allowing only enough open space for two slender people to access two
> sections at a time. At the edge of each bank of two-sided shelves is a
> wheel
> that you spin to move the shelf. Very cool, though occasionally a colleague
> will be searching for an item out of sight and will get squeezed by
> somebody
> rushing desperately for last-minute fill tunage. An occupational hazard in
> the rough and tumble world of classical music broadcasting...
>
> They have five movable shelves between two fixed units IIRC, and it works
> great. Must have cost a lot, but it allowed them to avoid all the other
> choices and labor. CDs are relatively light weight, unlike LPs or tapes. A
> DIY alternative might be to suspend shelves from ceiling tracks, maybe
> coupled to floor guides for stability. Maybe something like an auto shop
> winch system could be adapted to move the shelves. Anyway, this approach
> allowed them to keep pretty much all their CD holdings easy accessible,
> although the space is not expandable, so eventually some stuff will get
> relegated to the dungeon.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martin Fisher
> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 12:11 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Maximizing CD Storage Space
>
> Hi Guys,
>
> We currently have something on the order of 15,000 CDs are faced with space
> problems like the majority on this list.  The issue is maximizing shelf
> space while keeping the physical objects easily accessible.  We file CDs by
> label and catalogue number.
>
> Right now we have ours in the standard issue jewel cases, one deep on
> shelves vertically with the spine turned out like normal LP storage.  This
> lends itself to easy incorporation of new product, with some shifting, but
> requires lots of shelf space.
>
> I've heard some have a preference for standing vertical in boxes placed on
> shelves with box ends labeled and facing outward which allows more product
> on the shelves.  The big drawbacks are the lack of easy browsing and
> incorporation of new product without considerable attention to shifting.
>
> Your thoughts on these practices and other suggestions are welcome.
>
> The second issue would have to do with the physical packaging of the CD and
> related artwork.  At this point, I'd like to get some thoughts on doing
> away
> with ONLY the standard, generic, nondescript single and multiple CD jewel
> cases while retaining and storing ALL related artwork in a nonmutilated
> state.  Anything else including Box Sets and nonstandard packaging such as
> cardboard jacketed and digipack type housing would be kept in its original
> form with the addition of an inventory sticker.
>
> Standard jewel cases are fragile, bulky and take up loads of space.  There
> are several available alternatives available including the Jewel Sleeve and
> Disc Sox.
>
> Jewel Sleeves are currently made exclusively from polyvinylchloride or
> PVC......
>
> PVC BAD!!
>
> Disc Sox are currently being manufactured using polypropylene......
>
> Polypropylene good??
>
> Again, any thoughts on these two products or alternatives would be welcome.
>
>
> Best!  :-)
>
> Martin Fisher
> Center for Popular Music
>