Preserving the Past and Present for the Future

Preserving your personal keepsakes, collectables anddue to technological obsolescence be unavailable for
family historyyou to access in the future. (e.g. Cine film, 8 track)
In most homes, we probably all have tucked away aConsequently it is vital to preserve both the original
huge assortment of items that we choose to keep forrecords and the machines required to read them.
one reason or another. These items may be valuableA very good source of preservation information for
or they may hold wonderful memories and arethe care of specific items is:
priceless family treasures. The list of things that weNational Preservation office also offers guidance
keep and collect is almost endless, such as[
photographs, family papers and letters, oldLibrary Of Congress provides a very comprehensive
newspapers, certificates, old passports, books, chinaresource on preservation .
and wedding dresses etc. Each item that you chooseYou can also contact you local council records office
to keep and collect represents something unique andfor advice from the conservation and archives office.
therefore deserves special treatment and care.Many council offices offer advice sheets online that
Clearly, if you choose to keep theses items, you wantare a very useful source of information.
them to last for years to come. People spent fortunesGeneral Helpful hints
on collectables and yet they ignore the preservation ofDon’ts
these items at their peril . A recent news story was• Don’t store anything in direct sunlight or
released that detailed the extraordinary discovery ofbright light, ideally store in the dark
the Gospel of Judas. What was highlighted in this story• Don't use self-adhesive photograph albums
was the fact that this codex had survived hidden for• Don't use newspaper to wrap documents or
1700 years and yet it was almost completelyline boxes
destroyed in the 20 years since its original discovery in• Don't use ordinary envelopes, files, folders,
the 1970’s simply as a result of lack of care andtissue paper or standard cardboard boxes
thought.• Don’t use pens or felt tip markers on or
In order to ensure that the items that you keep arenear your artefacts
well preserved you need a very basic understanding• Don't use standard polythene or plastic bags,
of conservation principles. Careful storage and safePVC, plastic envelopes and files. There are some
handling are the golden rules for ensuring theplastics (polyester) which may be used, but you need
preservation of your family treasures, regardless ofto be certain what is safe
media type. What do you need to do to ensure that• Don’t use frames that have poor quality
your most precious memories are always kept inmountboard or are backed with wood
pristine condition and how do you protect such a• Never under any circumstance use any
diverse range of items in a normal domesticstandard form of pressure sensitive tape or adhesive
environment? You need to be practical andtape
understand the basic rules. Whilst you can control how• Never laminate a photo or document to
family members treat your treasures, it is inevitablepreserve it. Also never use standard glue
that over time, some wear and tear will occur –• Don’t use rubber bands, staples, pins or
which, in many instances, is perfectly acceptable andmetal paper clips
an important part of the item's history and character.• Don’t store in areas of high humidity such
However, as temporary custodians, the objective is toas conservatories, near airing cupboards or places
extend the life of your collection so that futurewhere condensation forms or near any heat sources
generations can enjoy it just as much as you and past• Don’t store anything in damp areas like
generations have. These items often have greatcellars, attics, sheds or garages
sentimental value and yet they have the similar• Don’t store boxes against external walls,
preservation requirements as the items held by anyas these have high temperature fluctuations
archives or Museum. Similar to any professional• Avoid folding items and excessive handling, or
conservators, you too should try to protect yourensure minimal folding
personal collections from harmful external factors as• Consider carefully the risks of storing items
best you can. The first signs of damage arewith a strong odour
discolouration, mould, smell or the items become brittle.• Do not overfill box as this will harm the
If items are damaged you may need the assistance ofcontents and it will be unsafe to handle the weight
a professional conservator. If you are in any doubt• Do not allow the box or its contents to get wet.
about the methods you are using to store items or youDo’s
wish to get professional help with any conservation• Try and store to as constant a temperature as
matters you should contact the Institute ofpossible, such as 13-18˚C and the relative
Conservation.humidity should not exceed 50% for a prolonged
In order to help preserve the items that you wish toperiod. However, Please note that some collections
keep it is important to use good storage materials.may need more specific temperature and humidity
These disciplines are used throughout the World toguidelines and you may need to seek advice on this.
ensure that the most valuable national treasures are• Do use ‘Acid Free’ tissue paper to
safely stored. You must use Archival (Acid Free)interleave between pages of volumes with colour
paper and boxes to wrap, cover and box the itemsplates to prevent off-setting or blocking
that you wish to keep. This is something that all keen• Keep originals in original and permanent formats
scrapbookers are now all familiar with. If an acidic• When you are handling any precious items
product (That is ordinary cardboard box, plastic,always ensure that your hands are clean and free of
newspaper or wood etc) comes into contact withgrease and dirt etc. Handle all items with great care.
paper, photos or textiles or other similar items, the acidHandle photographic media gently and with great care
can migrate, causing permanent damage and decay.to avoid finger marks on the images
This is why it is so important to use good quality• Try to ensure that you store your box in an
“Acid Free and Archival “ materials for thearea or room where air can circulate and ensure that
preservation of your treasured memories. Storage inyou store your box in a pest and insect free area
archival products will slow the aging process and add• Ensure that the items that you store are clean
years of life to the items you value. It is better toor cleaned if necessary and remove any dust carefully
prevent damage and deterioration, than try to repair orbefore storing and keep box and contents as clean as
correct it.possible.
Materials deteriorate as a result of the quality of the• Always use ‘archival quality
materials used and because of environmental andmaterials‘ (paper, adhesives, tape or
chemical changes that take place in the fibre of theembellishments) for your collection or for the
materials over time and in changing environmentaldecoration of your pages, box or collectables
conditions.Glossary of terms:
These materials are readily available now with papersArchive Quality
and books for scrapbooking available from any goodThis is a term used to indicate that materials have
craft shop and safe archival boxes available fromundergone laboratory analysis to determine and
It is useful to understand the issue of permanence andconfirm that their acidic and conservation properties
changing use of materials in the modern world. It is aare within safe levels.
fact of life that many of the modern materials that wePh Factor
come into contact with are not produced for long termThis refers to the acidity of a material. The ph scale is
survival, we are living in a disposable world and a costthe standard for measurement of acidity and alkalinity
driven world and often the quality of materials will.It runs from 1 to 14 with each number representing a
suffer as a result. However it is important to keepten-fold increase:
originals and have them stored well. There is always aPh neutral is 7 and Acid free products have a ph
risk that fast changing technology will either degrade orfactor of 7 or above.