Segment Information - Revenue and Expenditures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment information
Total Revenues	$ 752,427	$ 746,529	$ 759,734	$ 749,286	$ 777,978	$ 782,697	$ 786,892	$ 770,126	$ 3,007,976	$ 3,117,693	$ 3,024,623
Depreciation and Amortization									345,464	353,143	322,037
Depreciation									301,219	304,557	282,856
Amortization									44,245	48,586	39,181
Adjusted OIBDA									920,005	925,797	894,581
Total Assets	6,350,587				6,523,265				6,350,587	6,523,265	6,607,398
Expenditures for Segment Assets									458,918	524,464	634,586
Capital Expenditures									290,249	361,924	287,295
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									113,558	128,093	317,100
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									55,111	34,447	30,191
North American Records and Information Management Business | Operating Segments
Segment information
Total Revenues									1,775,365	1,795,361	1,769,233
Depreciation and Amortization									183,507	177,097	165,097
Depreciation									163,647	158,122	150,557
Amortization									19,860	18,975	14,540
Adjusted OIBDA									714,639	698,719	652,575
Total Assets	3,627,843				3,657,366				3,627,843	3,657,366	3,687,865
Expenditures for Segment Assets									192,935	198,651	319,419
Capital Expenditures									141,964	145,199	96,545
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									12,795	26,450	205,251
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									38,176	27,002	17,623
North American Data Management Business | Operating Segments
Segment information
Total Revenues									390,486	390,207	396,519
Depreciation and Amortization									21,591	21,770	19,956
Depreciation									20,838	21,458	19,652
Amortization									753	312	304
Adjusted OIBDA									203,803	226,396	237,380
Total Assets	641,845				653,275				641,845	653,275	690,507
Expenditures for Segment Assets									23,826	24,387	20,678
Capital Expenditures									16,784	18,076	12,929
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									(21)	5,863	6,791
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									7,063	448	958
Western European Business | Operating Segments
Segment information
Total Revenues									397,513	449,231	435,346
Depreciation and Amortization									44,691	54,582	54,756
Depreciation									38,710	45,895	45,368
Amortization									5,981	8,687	9,388
Adjusted OIBDA									120,649	130,423	118,823
Total Assets	871,571				952,924				871,571	952,924	1,068,853
Expenditures for Segment Assets									27,278	47,236	41,869
Capital Expenditures									17,378	38,587	32,156
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									2,596	4,864	3,028
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									7,304	3,785	6,685
Other International Business | Operating Segments
Segment information
Total Revenues									421,360	469,314	410,253
Depreciation and Amortization									57,025	65,103	50,729
Depreciation									39,439	44,509	35,911
Amortization									17,586	20,594	14,818
Adjusted OIBDA									87,341	84,468	87,180
Total Assets	893,530				1,025,167				893,530	1,025,167	946,249
Expenditures for Segment Assets									94,483	186,531	177,034
Capital Expenditures									64,227	93,881	70,079
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									27,688	90,916	102,030
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									2,568	1,734	4,925
Corporate and Other | Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment information
Total Revenues									23,252	13,580	13,272
Depreciation and Amortization									38,650	34,591	31,499
Depreciation									38,585	34,573	31,368
Amortization									65	18	131
Adjusted OIBDA									(206,427)	(214,209)	(201,377)
Total Assets	$ 315,798				$ 234,533				315,798	234,533	213,924
Expenditures for Segment Assets									120,396	67,659	75,586
Capital Expenditures									49,896	66,181	75,586
Cash Paid for Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired									70,500	0	0
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements									$ 0	$ 1,478	$ 0