Acid is found naturally in many kinds of paper and wood. It is acid that turns paper yellow and brittle so quickly. Use acid-free products and certain plastics when storing paper goods.
Image: "The Southern Husband Outwitted by His Union Wife" (Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill)
Saving Kentucky's History - Preserving Books
Use and Display
- To remove a book from the shelf, push back the books on either side and grasp it along the spine; don't pull the top of the book with your finger.
- Open books carefully, and don't press down on the pages to flatten the spine.
- Stand books upright on shelves. Support them with books or bookends of similar size. Display very large books flat.
Storage
"Mrs. Mary Dewee's journal from Philadelphia to Kentucky, 1788." (Reuben T. Durrett Collection, University of Chicago/Library of Congress)
- Store books on shelves lined with polyester film or heavy, acid-free paperboard. Avoid direct contact with wooden shelves.
- Protect damaged books by storing them in acid-free boxes and inspect them regularly. If you see signs of mold or pests, contact a conservation professional.
- If a fragile book has no value as an historic artifact, consider preserving the contents by means other than storage/repair. Content can transferred to microfilm or to photocopies, or, in many instances, a more recent edition may be available.
Care
- Dust books at least once a year with a magnetic dust cloth or a vacuum on very low suction using the brush attachment covered with cheesecloth.
- Don't use oils, leather dressings, saddle soap, or polish on books. The oily finish can infiltrate the pages of a book long after it has been treated, causing up to a half-inch of oiled paper throughout the whole book.
- Do not tape torn pages or bindings. The chemicals emitted by the tape may react with the paper.
Glossary
acid-free tissue - In the course of time most tissue paper will become acidic and brittle with age. The acidity will transfer to adjacent objects causing these objects to become weaker and possibly discolored. Acid free tissue papers are specially processed to remove such contaminants. An 18 pound weight paper is useful for quilts, coverlets, and the storage of other flat textiles. For stuffing or interleaving, a lighter 12 pound paper is better. This lighter acid free paper is also known as "laminating tissue."
conservator - persons who periodically
examine objects, document their condition, and, if necessary, treat and repair
them to protect collections over time.
For more information or to locate a professional conservator, visit The
American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works.
muslin - a thin plain-weave cotton cloth used for curtains, sheets, and dresses
PAT test (photographic activity test) - a test that predicts possible interactions between photographic images and the enclosures in which they are stored. Boxes or other types of enclosures that hold several images, even if those images are in envelopes or sleeves, should be tested too. Many of the harmful chemicals in poor-quality enclosures can become airborne and, over time, work their way to the photograph.
PVC pipe - a lightweight, durable, and waterproof plastic pipe used for plumbing
polyethylene bags - flexible, extremely tough, and chemical-resistant plastic bags commonly used as sandwich or freezer storage
ragboard - board made from cotton and contains no wood (lignins). Little pulping or purification is required because cotton is the purest natural form of cellulose. Rag board is also called Museum Board, is acid-free and meets the standards set by the Library of Congress for museum quality matboard. It is available with or without buffering.
unbuffered - containing neither alkaline nor acid