The worst archival evilsHow to best preserve

your...PapersPhotographs

TraditionalDigital

Photograph albumsBooksHome movies

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Archival hazardsLightHeatHumidityWaterPestsCareless handling"Enhancements"

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Acidic paper = badAcidic paper turns

brown and extremely brittle.

Acid from low quality paper can bleed onto neighboring pieces of paper.

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Store your paper to protect it from six hazards:

Keep at a stable humidity. Humidity above 70% promotes mold. Rapid changes damage paper.

Keep away from heat. Heat causes paper to decay.

Keep away from light. Light causes fading. Handle carefully to prevent tears. Avoid curling or folding. Store flat

(horizontally or vertically) in acid-free folders.

Beware of acid. Isolate acidic paper. Make preservation photocopies.

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Store photos and negatives in a dark, cool, dry and ventilated place.Relative humidity of 20-

50%.Temperature of 65-70ºF.

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Protect your photographs.Enclose in safe plastics (Mylar®, Hostaphan® or

Melinex; polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene).Enclose in acid-free, lignin-free, paper envelopes or

folders.All supplies should pass the Photographic Activity

Test (PAT).

Hold photographs & negatives at their edge.

Label your photographs

Write on enclosures ORWrite on the back

Use No. 2 pencil for B&W

Use felt tip, film marking pens for color.

Write on the of the photograph on a flat, hard surface.

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Display copies on the wall; protect your originals. Light will fade them.

If you really want to display them... Use museum-quality mat board. Make sure photographs don't

stick to the glass. Use photo corners, edge strips,

or paper hinges. Display infrequently. Keep away from bright light,

heat, and dampness. Should I digitize?

Sure, but don't throw away the originals!

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Take images at high resolution.Use common image formats

(.jpg, .tif)Organize them logically.Back them up often.

Understand the consequences of compression whenever you save. (Jpeg files are compressed.)

Add captions that can travel long-term with the photographs.

Avoid investing in proprietary or uncommon software. 9

Control the storage environment. Ink jet photographs

are more sensitive than traditional prints.

Use the best combination of paper and ink.Pigment-based inks are

more stable than dye-based inks but have a smaller color range.

Select archival papers that are acid-free, buffered, lignin-free and optical brightener-free.

Coated ink jet papers work best with compatible inks.

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All papers, plastics, and adhesives should pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT),particularly anything that comesinto contact with the photographs.

Colored paper rarely passes the PAT.

Never laminate. Types of albums

Plastic pocket pagesPaper pages (with or without plastic covers)Self-stick albums (Avoid at ALL costs.)

The album should provide room for expansion.

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When adhering items to paper pages… Do not use household white or yellow glues, hot glue guns,

and rubber cement. They can fail, or cause staining or fading.

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Do not use tape, even tape labeled as “archival” or passing the PAT. They ooze beyond their edges.

Use plastic or paper photo corners that have passed the PAT.

Use preservation quality adhesives, (e.g., purified starch paste or methyl cellulose) but dry carefully and don’t add too much.

Older albums on black or colored paper… May not be harming your photographs. Staining and fading could be from poor photo

processing, not the paper. Interleave pages with plastic sheets or acid-free

paper.

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Self-stick albums Don’t remove

photographs if the adhesive is too tacky.

Store and handle albums carefully.

Keep books away from light, humidity, and heat.Dust carefully with a dry, lint-free cloth or a soft-bristled

brush. Shelve books vertically; store large volumes flat.Don't pull a book off the shelf with the top of its spine.Leave an inch in front of

and behind the book.Don't force a book open

too far.Use bookmarks, not folded

corners.Avoid post-it notes, inks

and highlighters.

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Store in a cool, ventilated, dark, dry place.

Keep away from dust, smoke, and oil. Keep videos away from electromagnetic fields.

Play on well-maintained equipment.Store videos on their side. Before

storing, play through and do not rewind.Store film reels flat. Make sure they are

evenly wound.Migrate videos often...or lose them.

Videotapes degrade quickly (lifespan = 10-30 years).

DVD formats keep changing. Be aware of compression in digital files.

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More advice California Preservation Program

calpreservation.org/education/ training_tools.html

Canadian Conservation Institutewww.preservation.gc.ca

Library of Congresswww.loc.gov/preserv/familytreasures

National Archiveswww.archives.gov/preservation/ family-archives

Northeast Document Conservation Centerwww.nedcc.org

Society of California Archivistswww.calarchivists.org/pubs/SCA_PYH.html

Wilhelm Imaging Researchwww.wilhelm-research.com

Archival suppliers Creative Memories

www.creative-memories.com Gaylord Bros.

www.gaylordmart.com Hollinger Corporation

www.hollingercorp.com Light Impressions

www.lightimpressionsdirect.com

Metal Edge, Inc.metaledgeinc.com

Get Smart Productswww.pfile.com

Talaswww.talasonline.com

University Productswww.universityproducts.com

Webway Photograph Albumsos.shopwebway.com

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