Preserving Old Records/Documents/Books

On a regular basis I hear from folks who are happily in the possession of old family records - leather bound books, stapled diaries or log books, tissue or newsprint paper letters, and other items.  Folks are very happy to discuss how happy they are to have these - that they've lasted through the ages (decades, but occasionally over a hundred years).

When I broach the question as to how they are looking after them, though, things get very silent.  Documents age very badly in homes.  Temperature and humidity fluctuations are devastating to paper.  Contact with vinyl, post it notes, paper clips and staples create spot damage - almost invariably.  And, leafing through those papers during family gatherings - with greasy cookie in hand and licking one's dry fingers as one pages through them.... Yikes!

These are exactly the reasons why we encourage folks to be conscious of what they are doing.  While the records have lasted until now - such actions guarantee record deterioration. 

Do consider putting your precious records in safe conditions.  For some more background on this, see our website page on Preserving Old Documents/Books.

In kinship,
Judii