Do not laminate newsprint. This is impossible to reverse, and certain plastics yellow with age, making your article difficult to read.
Instead, encapsulate your newspaper clippings, placing a sheet of newsprint between two clear sheets of polyester film and sealing the film to itself, not to the paper. You can do this by using double-stick tape or using special machines designed to bond the film.
When you need to access the original, or replace the plastic sheeting, you need only to slit the plastic and slip the article out of its sleeve.
Image: "Advertisement for Col. W.F. Cody's Wild West Show, The Kentucky Gazette, August 14, 1879, pg. 3." (Archival Records Div., KDLA)
Saving Kentucky's Past -- Preserving Newspapers
Use and Display
- Make color copies of your newspaper articles on matte paper, and frame these for display. Using a color copier will preserve the aged newsprint's coloring and give the articles more visual interest, as well as saving your original from being exposed to light and humidity.
Storage
- Excessive dampness or humidity - above 65% - can cause mold.
- Excessive heat causes newspapers to dry out and become brittle.
- Avoid storing newspapers in bundles, or among other papers. A chemical transfer called "acid migration" can occur in papers in contact with one another. This causes colors/text to be transferred onto papers above or below the newsprint.
- Mice shred newspapers for nests. Make sure to store important newspapers in airtight acrylic or acid-free containers.
- Remove rubber bands before storing. When possible, store newspapers flat rather than folded. The folds weaken the paper, and can cause tears or separation.
- If articles are clipped from multiple pages, use stainless steel paperclips or Plastiklips. Do not use staples; these will cause future tearing.
Care
- Do not attempt to repair torn newsprint with tape or glue. The chemicals in both of these damage frail newsprint.
- As your newspaper clipping collection grows, try organizing it by the family member named in each. Also include citation information, such as the name of the newspaper, city/state, and date the clipping was originally published.
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