Penn State University Libraries - Top Ten List

Preservation, Conservation and Digitization

A Selected On-line Resource Listing

Top ten list you can do to preserve family and special collections:

1.  Provide the right environment - 60 to 70° F 1 40 to 50°/o Rh
2.  Avoid light - store ·in dark
3.  Zip it - isolate infected materials immediately
4.  Use archival quality products - buy from reputable vendors
   
5.  Never use tape or glue. Never laminate.  If it's not reversible, don't use it!
6.  Label carefully and accurately- use pencil not pen
7.  Handle with care - wash hands, handle by edges or margins
8.  Avoid paper clips, rubber bands and staples
9.  Make use copies
10.  Digitizing doesn't mean that you preserved it!

Some good places for you to look  on-line:

http://aic.stanford.edu/library/online/brochures/refbooks.html (a basic bibliography that covers many types of artifacts)

http://aic.stanford.edu/library/online/brochures/index.html (brochures about caring for a variety of types of materials -- they have a small bibliography, too.)

http://www.si.edu/mci/english/learnmore/taking care/index.html

(More short articles  on care of many  types  of artifacts)

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/bytopic/genpub/ (more of the same)

http://nedcc.org/resources/leaflets.list.php (very good short handouts on library materials, archives & works on paper)

http://nedcc.org/resources/resources.php (good general preservation principles for home or collections

2/28/2008