preservation of archives and special collections

PRESERVATIONPRESERVATION

inin

ARCHIVES ARCHIVES

andand

SPECIAL COLLECTIONSSPECIAL COLLECTIONS

DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONSPreservationPreservationConservationConservationRestorationRestoration

VALUEVALUE

Historic/ artifactual valueHistoric/ artifactual valueEvidentiary/ legal valueEvidentiary/ legal valueTextual/ scholarly valueTextual/ scholarly value

Properties of the Properties of the OriginalOriginal

FormatFormat MediumMedium SubstrateSubstrate ConditionCondition

DateDate Artist/Author Artist/Author

Recipient Recipient /Owner/Owner

Is theIs the format format stable?stable?

folds folds herehere

housing required?

Is special

sharp point

Reduce handling

Display storage works wonders

Is storage really permanent?

slides out

notch

Is the Is the mediummedium stable? stable?

Do you know your Do you know your mediamedia??

•soluble in alcohol

•fugitive color

Hectograph VS Mimeograph

•soluble in non-polar solvents (oily “halo”)

•durable color

tantan rectorecto, , white white versoverso

uniform paper tone, Prussian Blue image color

Diazo print

Blue Line printPractice

identifying processes

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

Agents of Deterioration

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

starts harmful starts harmful chemical reactions chemical reactions (cross-linking and (cross-linking and chain scission)chain scission)

makes materials makes materials expand, crack, expand, crack, warp, and separatewarp, and separate

promotes mold promotes mold growth growth

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat

HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

promotes mold promotes mold growth and insect growth and insect activityactivity

makes materials makes materials expand, warp, expand, warp, cocklecockle

may cause stainsmay cause stains

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity

LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

starts harmful starts harmful chemical reactions chemical reactions (cross-linking and (cross-linking and chain scission)chain scission)

may cause stainsmay cause stains fades pigments fades pigments

and dyesand dyes

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and Pests and

FungiFungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

eat paper, eat paper, leather, textiles, leather, textiles, and glue (create and glue (create holes or thin holes or thin spots)spots)

cause stainscause stains create health create health

hazardhazard

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi

Inherent ViceInherent Vice HandlingHandling

starts harmful starts harmful chemical reactions chemical reactions (cross-linking and (cross-linking and chain scission)chain scission)

makes materials makes materials physically weakphysically weak

Agents of Agents of DeteriorationDeterioration

HeatHeat HumidityHumidity LightLight Pests and FungiPests and Fungi Inherent ViceInherent Vice

HandlingHandling

deposits harmful deposits harmful chemicalschemicals

causes stainscauses stains causes mechanical causes mechanical

damage (creases, damage (creases, tears, cracks, etc.)tears, cracks, etc.)

Is there Inherent Vice?

Is theIs the substratesubstrate stable?stable?

Monitor

your

Collections

Controls

slight

severe

severe

moderate

Isolate damaging materials

Questions?Questions?