I posted this as a supplementary for the paper prompt - but this prompt, I'm afraid, is bringing out the archives in me again. I was going to take a picture of a closed archive box, but this was at least a little more interesting to look at.
I'm evangelical about the value of boxes. Seriously. With archives, you want these historic survivals to last forever/as long as possible. They're vulnerable to *everything* (fire, water, light, heat, damp, mould, rats and mice, theft, getting disorganised/reshuffled/lost). A good solid box protects against literally every one of those threats. Boxes don't burn easily, especially when there's a solid mass of them. They absorb water and protect the contents (with a solid archive box you can immerse it in water for 24 hours and the contents will be barely damp at the edges). A box blocks out light and buffers changes in temperature and humidity for a bit. It slows down mice and makes it easier to see if something's nibbling collections than it is with a big pile of papers. It keeps stuff organised, easy to move safely, and nicely anonymous to casual thieves. A box can't keep everything safe forever. But it is a *hell* of a good start.
In summary: the box. An unsung hero.
