Preserving your family history records 3

Preservation
The most important factor affecting the preservation is the storage and display conditions to which they are subjected. This includes the material in which they are enclosed, where they are stored and the manner in which they are displayed. Processed negatives, slides and photographic prints should be stored and handled appropriately

A number of materials often used in the storage of negatives and prints are detrimental to the photographic image and its support. These include wood products, low-grade paper, glassines and strawboard. There are concerns with chlorinated, nitrated formaldehyde-based plastics, lacquers, enamels and materials that contain plasticisers. Other items that may be detrimental to processed photographic materials while they are in storage include rubber, rubber cement, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and hygroscopic adhesives or those containing iron, copper, sulphur or other impurities. Pressure sensitive tapes and mounting materials, as well as acid inks and porous tip marking pens that use water-base dyes should also be avoided. Adhesives that should be avoided are starch paste, animal glue, rubber cement, shellac and contact adhesive. A conscious effort to keep these products away from all your family history records can only lengthen the life of such items.

As a rule of thumb never submit your materials to any process that cannot be reversed - this is the rule used by all good conservators. For example: never laminate material as such a process can never be reversed.