Preservation for Everyone
Why think about Preservation? Everybody has things that they consider important and may want to protect. - Books - Photos - Important Papers - Family Heirlooms Taking just a few simple steps can help care for and protect these things of value.
Why think about Preservation? Even when steps are taken to protect something of value, disasters may happen and being prepared or knowing how to recover is also important.
The Basics There are a few simple things that can be done to protect just about anything. In general the basic guidelines can be followed for just about any material type and will provide the easiest and best overall steps that can be taken.
The Basics Environment - Environment refers to the place in which you plan to store things. The enemies of almost every material are light, humidity that is too high or too low, moisture, and temperature. - Light will cause materials to fade and will also speed up negative chemical reactions - High humidity, moisture and warm temperature are the best breeding grounds for mold and bugs. These will also help speed up damaging chemical reactions - Very low temperature and low humidity can cause things to become brittle and fall apart. - Extreme fluctuation is any of these areas will promote damaging chemical reactions and generally speed up the deterioration of items Having an Environment that is stable and well regulated will help protect items. In general, the ideal condition for most things is a temperature of 65- 72 o F with 30-50 % humidity. Whenever possible keep items away from light, including indoor and florescent lights.
The Basics Storage materials - What you choose to store your items in is very important whether it is folders, binders, or boxes There are 4 things you should look for when buying storage materials - For anything that is paper, cardboard, or natural fiber based: 1. Lignin Free (lignin is a chemical in wood that deteriorates paper) 2. Acid Free (acid is made from lignin and is produced from many of the chemicals used in paper products today) 3. Buffered (will help negate the creation and effects of acid) - For anything that is plastic: 4. Polyester, Polypropylene, or Polyethylene (very non reactive types of plastic that is less likely to release harmful chemicals or damage materials) http://www.webyfl.com/archival-boxes.aspx
The Basics Reformatting - In this case, reformatting means taking your items and digitizing them; make a copy to your computer. - This can be done with most materials (books, photos, documents) by scanning each item into a computer. - Scanning can be done individually and at home, if a person has the basic equipment to do it. Sometimes, items are sent to outside Martha Meacham companies to be digitized.
Why Reformat? Making a digital copy of something has many benefits. -It will lessen the amount the original needs to be handled which will lessen the chances of damage. This will also allow for the item to easily be shared with others without fear of damage to the original. - If the original is lost the information from the item can still be used. - It could be beneficial for insurance purposes. - If only the information is important, not the physical item, it could free up space for other items to be stored. Make many copies and store in different locations - Digital information is not permanent. It is very easy to erase or damage computer files. Always have more then one copy of the digital file and keep those copies in different locations (not on the same computer, ideally not even in the same building) - When every possible use Open Source software when producing digital copies. This makes it more likely that a file can been opened in the future, even if technology changes. - Name things so they are easily and consistently identifiable and findable.
Martha Meacham Different Materials Martha Meacham Most of the basic guidelines apply to all of the following materials but knowing some specifics can be helpful because different material have different needs. - Books - Photographs - Newspaper - Documents - Audio/Visual Martha Meacham
Books Almost everyone owns books Whether they are brand new books, or antique classics, there are some dangers to be aware of and steps to be taken that can help protect these investments. http://www.newwestend.org.uk/whats-on/book-club.html
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_types.html Books Storage and Handling Books should be kept in stable environments; temperature around 65-70 o F and 30-50% humidity. It is very important to keep books away from light because this will cause the covers and inks to fade. Keep storage areas and books clean. Dust can be damaging and may also carry mold. Keep them away from sources of pollution such a wood burning stove or a window that would let in outside pollution. In general, books can be kept on shelves standing upright but should be well supported at the ends, not to tightly packed, no slanting. Books should be shelved with similar books; same height (so there is even distribution of pressure), and materials (leather books should not been stored with cloth books) . Very large books should be stored flat somewhere that can accommodate their width. Don’t put weight on top of books.
Books Damage To Books General Tips - Don’t pull on the top of spines. Don’t attempt to force a book open or make it flat. This will break the spine. - Don’t use paperclips or rubber bands to secure any part of a book. Use a soft un -dyed ribbon to hold together any material. Or wrap the book in a paper or polyester jacket. - Never use any type of tape - Only use polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive (Elmer’s Glue is a very poor quality form PVA, archival quality PVA is recommended). Repair There are some simple repairs that can be done if a book is damaged. However, if you are uncertain about what to do, if it is a large scale project, or the book may be valuable, a professional should be consulted. - Work very slowly and carefully and don’t do anything that may not be reversible. - When in doubt, don’t attempt anything yourself - ask an expert.
Photographs Photographs are some of the most treasured objects people own. Knowing how to store, display and protect these items will ensure they are around to provide enjoyment for as long as possible. As always, consider reformatting to create easy access to a photo and allow for easy duplication. Martha Meacham
Photographs Storage and Handling The same rules that apply to books and paper, generally apply to photographs as well. Control the environment – photos generally like cool and dry, keep clean, keep away from light. If using scrapbooks, photo albums or boxes for storage, make sure all components are lignin-free, acid-free, and buffered. Many cheap commercial photo books are made from very acidic products and may damage photos. Photographs should be handled carefully, especially if they are older. They are more prone to tearing and scratching. It is a good idea to where clean white cotton gloves if you are touching the photo. But always try to handle a photo by touching only the edges.
http://www.familyoldphotos.com/6c/3b/colby_college_glee1917-4.htm Photographs Display Framing a photograph - first decide if it would be better to frame a high quality copy of the original. This may help protect the original from handling or light damage. Always use high quality materials in framing. Use acid-free, lignin-free, buffered matting to frame. Consider investing in museum quality framing that will include good matting and UVA/UVB protective glass. Photographs in albums – choose high quality albums. Never use self-adhesive or “magnetic” albums. Store fragile, old, or valuable albums flat in high quality storage box to protect albums from light and dust. Do not use tape or adhesives on photographs. If you have a damaged photograph it is recommended that you contact professionals for restoration.
http://www.lib.umd.edu/univarchives/collections.html Documents Loose papers, letters, certificates, etc. - Keep them in a controlled environment in folders and boxes that acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered. - They can be placed in plastic sleeves if the sleeves are polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene. Most common store plastic binders or sleeves are not safe. - More then one document can be placed in a folder or sleeve, but it is recommended that an acid-free sheet of paper be placed in between. - Lamination is not recommended for any material. If necessary documents or photos can be encapsulated between two sheets of polyester film.
Newspaper Newspaper is usually very acidic and will deteriorate quickly. It is recommended that some type of reformatting of newspaper is done, either scanning or photocopying the original. Store newspaper in an acid-free, lignin free, buffered scrapbook or storage box. If you want to display newspaper, it is better to use a high quality copy. This will protect the original from damaging light and wear. Martha Meacham
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