How A Registrar’s Office Gained Better Storage Solutions With High Density Mobile Shelving

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for storing, evaluating, and protecting the integrity of all student records, issuing official student transcripts, certifying funds for Veteran’s Assistance, determining athletic elegibility, and conferring degrees upon the University graduates. You’ll learn that they needed high density mobile shelving. 

Existing conditions and challenges without high density storage solutions:

The University’s Registrar’s office has maintained their student records for many years in conventional four drawer filing cabinets using top top tab folders in an alphabetical mode. Over the years, additional cabinets were added in an attempt to keep up with the growth of the ever increasing record volume. Over time, cabinets were stacked on top of the original cabinets and eventually file boxes were used in an attempt to meet their storage challenge. This presented a hazard to the office staff while attempting to perform routine file actions and required the use of a ladder or movement of boxes for a large portion of the file maintenance.

The conventional top tab indexing of the files had become tattered and bent requiring the staff to “thumb through” the file drawer to locate a record. Since no color code system was in place misfiles were very common and retrieval times were extended.

The Solution:

BSC performed a complete file study of the existing conditions and gathered information that allowed for a comprehensive solution to be suggested. This record survey provided detailed information of the physical space concerns and also addressed the files processes required to enhance the operation.

High density mobile shelving was selected to maximize the existing floor space of the file room while providing the capacity to maintain all of their valuable records. An expansion capacity of over 20% was also included and the complete system consumes less than half the space of the original equipment. The seven tier shelving used on the system provides easy access to the files without the need to use the ladders and their is no requirement to pull and push file drawers or lift heavy boxes to perform the filing processes.

The mobile ranges of shelving travel along a rail system using a mechanically assisted drive system providing quick and effortless access to all of the files. It’s as simple as turning the drive handle to position the access aisle anywhere within the system it is needed. Due to the compound gear ratio of the mechanical drive, multi ranges can be moved simultaneously from a single drive handle with minimal effort which further increases the system’s efficiency.

The inefficiency of the current filing system was also enhanced by incorporating a color coded file guiding system and the integration of end tab style folders. This feature allows the staff to quickly locate the position of any record within the system with greater ease and addresses the challenging file related processes related of the old system.

Ready to solve your document storing problems? We offer many storage solutions for any problem you may be facing. Contact a local BSC representative for more information.