The register of deeds shall carefully keep in the office provided by the county at all times, except when he may be required by a court to produce them as evidence or when the same may be removed for the purposes of repair, all books, records, files and papers belonging thereto, and when not in use shall keep them in a safe location where their protection from fire, theft, water and the elements is insured, and he shall permit no paper there deposited for record to be taken from his office before it is recorded. Whenever any of the volumes of records in his office shall be in need of repair, he shall seasonably cause them to be suitably repaired at the expense of the county, and, if necessary, he may allow such volumes to be taken out of his office for a reasonable time for that purpose.