One should always store coffee beans in a glass, air-tight container. Air and moisture are coffee's principal enemies. Glass is best because it doesn't retain the odors of the beans or the oils, which could contaminate future beans stored in the same container. However, if you use glass, make sure the container is not exposed to light, as sunlight is believed to reduce freshness.
Buy only what coffee can be consumed in a week to a week and a half from the time it was roasted. This is the only way to have truly fresh coffee.
Do not freeze ground coffee. There are two key problems here. One, the freezing will damage some of the subtle tastes in the coffee, and two, when the coffee is taken out the container will sweat, exposing your coffee to moisture.