ISO 18934 provides suggested guidelines for four temperature and humidity macro-environments for archives that contain a variety of recording media, based on the corresponding ISO storage standards for those media. Whenever possible, ISO 18934 recommends that users follow the storage environments in the ISO storage standards.

ISO 18934 does not replace those ISO storage standards. In addition to environment recommendations, those standards also include other vital information pertinent to the long-term keeping of recording materials, such as inspection, housing, and handling guidelines. Although microenvironments within a storage enclosure can be dependent upon the macro-environment, they are not the focus of ISO 18934.

The storage of traditional paper collections is not within the scope of ISO 18934.

Nitrate‑base photographic films are also included in ISO 18934, since they are often stored together with other materials.

ISO 18934 does not address the various strategies to upgrade substandard environments that deviate from those recommended by ISO standards.