Caring for Your Family Archives

• How do I preserve my family papers?
  
  
• How can I safely mount my documents, memorabilia, and photographs into albums or scrapbooks?
  
  
• What kind of photo album should I use?
  
  
• How should I attach my photos to the album pages?
  
  
• Should I remove my photographs from old albums, such as black paper albums or self-stick albums?
  
  
• How should I caption my photographic prints; is there a safe way to write on the back of photographs?
  
  
• How should I frame and display my photographs?
  
  
• How should I store my photographic prints?
  
  
• Should I convert my home movies to video tape?
  
  
• Should I digitize my photo collection? Is it safe to throw away my original film and prints after I digitize them?
  
  
• How can I remove old tapes, make repairs, or flatten rolled or curled photos?
  
  
• How can I preserve an important edition of a newspaper?
  
  

How do I preserve my family papers?

Paper preservation requires proper storage and safe handling practices. Your family documents will last longer if they are stored in a stable environment, similar to that which we find comfortable for ourselves: 60-70 degrees F; 40-50% relative humidity (RH); with clean air and good circulation. High heat and moisture accelerate the chemical processes that result in embrittlement and discoloration to the paper. Damp environments may also result in mold growth and/or be conducive to pests that might use the documents for food or nesting material. Therefore, the central part of your home provides a safer storage environment than a hot attic or damp basement.

Light is also damaging to paper, especially that which contains high proportions of ultra violet, i.e., fluorescent and natural day light. The effects of light exposure are cumulative and irreversible; they promote chemical degradation in the paper and fade inks. It is not recommended to permanently display valuable documents for this reason. Color photocopies or photographs work well as surrogates.

Family papers should be stored in appropriate sized enclosures, such as a folder, box, portfolio, etc., that will provide physical protection as well as protection from light and dust. The enclosure itself should be made of stable permanent quality materials that will not contribute to the document's deterioration. See Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler's Preservation of Archival Records: Holdings Maintenance at the National Archives for details regarding enclosure specifications, and for easy-to-follow directions on preservation handling procedures for long term storage.

How can I safely mount my documents, memorabilia, and photographs into albums or scrapbooks?

The method you use to assemble scrapbooks, photograph albums or memory books can enhance the preservation of the items or can cause irreversible negative effects. Mounting with the following materials should be avoided: synthetic glue (white glue), rubber cement, pressure-sensitive tapes and films, staples, or hot glue gun adhesives. These materials have poor aging qualities which can physically damage and/or discolor paper and photographs.

Albums with self-stick pages ("magnetic pages") should be avoided as well due to the adhesive used on the mounting page. There are several safe alternatives for mounting. Valuable items such as birth certificates, family letters, and photographs should be mounted without use of glue or other adhesives. Envelopes and sleeves made of stable plastics such as polyester and polypropylene can hold the materials and be used as album pages. An alternative for sleeves and envelopes are corners made from plastic films ( such as, polypropylene and polyester) or paper.

Plastic and paper corners which are to be used for photographic memorabilia should be made of a material which passes the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). The PAT was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is a test that determines whether or not a storage material will cause fading or staining of photographs. The PAT standard is ANSI IT9.16, Photographic Activity Test. Many manufacturers test their products with the PAT and advertise storage materials which pass the PAT.

Paper corners which are to be used only with paper memorabilia need only pass the standard for permanent paper ANSI/NISO Z39.48, Permanence of Paper for Publication of Documents in Libraries and Archives. This standard specifies the characteristics of paper that is of a permanent nature and which will not harm other documents with which it is in contact.

What kind of photo album should I use?

There are many types of photo albums available. Some albums types may be more appropriate though, certain circumstances. What may be safe and appropriate (and inexpensive) for everyday disposable snapshots that will only be of interest to you for a few years may not be appropriate for photos that are family keepsakes or those destined to become your family heirlooms. Keep in mind the long term implications when selecting an album as some may cause damage in the short or long term and should not be used with family keepsakes or those you wish to keep for decades.

Album pages, not the covers, have the most influence on the long term preservation of your photos since they are in direct contact with the photos and can cause the most harm. There are three types of album pages:

1. plastic pocket pages (pages with pockets for inserting the photos)
2. paper pages with or without a clear plastic cover sheet
3. so-called magnetic albums or self stick albums having clear cover sheets

Plastic pocket pages have the advantage that no adhesive is needed to secure the photo but photos may slip out of the pocket opening. Paper pages require some method of securing the photo to the paper such as photo corners or adhesives. Self stick pages provide their own means of securing photos to the page, but surround the photo with adhesive which may be deleterious to the photo.

All papers, plastics, and adhesives used in albums should pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). The PAT was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is a test that determines whether or not a storage material will cause fading or staining in photographs. The PAT standard code is ANSI IT9.16 Photographic Activity Test. Many manufacturers test their products with the PAT and advertise storage materials and albums which pass the PAT. In addition, ANSI has another standard for photo storage materials: ANSI IT9.2 Photographic Processed Films, Plates, and Papers-- Filing Enclosures and Storage Containers; this standard specifies the high quality of the paper and plastics, and recommends designs for storage materials such as envelopes and pocket pages.

In general, plastic pages and cover sheets made from uncoated pure polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester (also called Mylar D or Mellinex 516) are considered stable and non-damaging to photographs. Polyester is crystal clear and is more rigid than polyethylene and polypropylene. None of these recommended plastics have any odor to them, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic does have a strong odor (like a new car odor). Avoid the use of PVC plastics--they generate acids which can fade the photograph in time. In addition, the plastic can stick to items inside and, in some types of photographs (and printed items such as baseball cards), actually cause the image to transfer to the plastic. For these reasons, PVC cover sheets, pages and albums should not be used for valuable photographs or those you want to preserve for a long time.

Look for paper pages that are made from a high-quality, non-acidic, lignin-free paper (either buffered or unbuffered) made from cotton or highly purified wood pulps. Paper pages with plastic cover sheets offer more protection to the photographs--from fingerprints, accidental spills, and by preventing the photos from sticking to each other in damp conditions.

Self stick albums should be avoided for any valuable photos that are meant to be kept for a long time. Self-stick pages are coated with an adhesive that stains photos and possibly fades some types of photographs over time. In addition, in the long term, the adhesive either dries up and fails after several years and discolors to an unsightly dark yellow, or, in the short term, the adhesive becomes very tacky making it difficult to remove photos without damaging them.

Albums are available in many styles from spiral or ring binders to post or clamp bindings or those bound with traditional sewing; with cloth, plastic or leather covers. All are acceptable and your choice of album style may depend more on the "look" you want and cost. One thing to remember is that the album should not be overstuffed once you have added all the pages and attached the photographs. Overstuffing is particularly bad for post and sewn bindings--the added thickness of the pages with attached photographs might break the narrower binding and splay open the album. Overstuffing also makes it difficult to turn pages in a spiral and ring binder and damages the pages.

* Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives & Records Administration