1. Pass it On: Saving Heritage and Memories

2. OBJECTIVES Preservation is to save memories Review preservation strategies for public caring for their treasures Talk in detail about some objects Provide resources

3. Family Treasures What are family treasures? Why preserve them? What to preserve?

5. Deterioration Internal Vices + External Vices Object Composition Environment

6. Causes of Deterioration and Damage Environmental Conditions Storage Conditions Display Conditions Handling Dog chewed book Faded photograph

7. Environmental Conditions Temperature Humidity Light Pollutants Pests

8. Temperature + Humidity Promotes chemical reactions High temperature increases decay rate

9. Humidity Too dry is damaging Too humid is damaging Wild fluctuations is damaging Sensitive to humidity Organic materials and metals

10. Light Damage Cumulative Irreversible Fading, Color change, Brittle Sensitive to light Organic materials-paper, photographs, textiles, furniture, ivory

11. Dust and Air Pollution Dust Gaseous Housekeeping Sensitive to pollution Silver/metal tarnishes, corrodes Fibers breakdown in paper and textiles

12. Leather Deterioration Light Damage

13. Pests Termite damage Insects Rodents Sensitive Organic materials, Building structures

14. Storage Location Determine best place to store Dry, cool, stable environment Beware of attics, basements or garages Insects Rodents

15. How to Display Treasures Avoid heat sources Limit light exposure Install shades and close curtains Hang on interior walls Safe locations from bumping, hitting, unnecessary handling Use proper matting and frames UV filtering glazing

16. Safe Handling and Use Know your walking path and have a safe place to put down the object Two hands when needed Clean Hands No Lotion

17. Do No Harm Paper clips Rubber bands Tapes Sticky notes Glue To remove staples, clips www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/7Conservation_Proc edures/08RemovalOfFastener

18. What to Do?

19. How Should Objects Be Stored? On shelves Off the floor Protective enclosures - folders and boxes Labeled

20. Think Inside the Box

21. Storage Materials Durable Provide physical support Boxes closed without gaps Match size of object

22. Storage Materials Term Archival-Quality is Confusing Paper enclosures - Low-lignin or lignin- free - Buffered Use unbuffered papers for: blueprints, some art on paper, color photographs, textiles Photographs- papers passed Photographic Activity Test (PAT)

23. Storage Materials Preservation Grade Plastics - Brand name: Melinex 516 - Polyethylene and polypropylene okay if no plasticizers used When not to use! Pencil, charcoal, friable media due to static properties on plastic

24. Doll Storage, Textile Padded Hanger

26. Should I Do a Repair? DO NO HARM Home repairs? Control Yourself Self–adhesives tapes are not safe Stains – Learn to live with them Lamination – Just say no!

27. When to Call in the Experts? Severely damaged Valuable Poor framing Mold damaged Pest Infestation Read about how to select and find a conservator www.conservation- us.org www.conservation- us.org Regional Alliance for Preservation www.rap-arcc.org

28. Disaster Preparedness Security Fire protection Natural disasters Insurance Salvage

29. Safety first Assess damage Make a plan Start as soon as can Handle objects as little as possible Care in handling Call an expert Packing boxes

30. Disaster Resources Heritage Preservation www.heritagepreservation.org Council of State Archivists www.statearchivists.or/prepare

31. Other Issues Appraisal www.loc.gov/preserv/appraiserref.html Donating http://www.archivists.org/publications/donating- familyrecs.asp Organizing and documenting treasures www.mnhs.org/people/mngg/stories/orgpapers.htm www.netnebraska.org/extras/treasures/

32. Family Papers

33. Store - Folders, sleeves, boxes Separate newspapers Copy - Newspapers, frequently handled Display - Copies if possible Stable environment Low or no light Seldom fold or unfold Do not use: clips, rubber bands, tape, etc.

34. Before and After

35. Books Store - Flat, upright or spine down - Shelving or boxes Use wrappers sized to book Stable environment Low or no light Clean hands No head cap grabbing No sticky notes or tapes Dust properly

36. Photographs Store - Sleeves - -plastic or paper - Folders, boxes or albums Display - Limit time - Use a copy - UV filtering glazing Stable environment No light Use clean white cotton gloves Avoid adhesives Avoid overcrowding Photographic reproduction

37. Digital Images Back-up files Tag files Migrate and Save E-mails Store safely How to embed photo metadata http://www.photometa data.org/META- Tutorials

38. Textiles Store - Flat, rolled, hanging - Unbuffered tissue Display -Frame with UV glazing - Hanging system Stable environment Low or no light Pest prevention Cleaning ? Ask a conservator Regular inspection Handle without your jewelry on

39. Wedding Dress Clean prior to storage Determine dress condition Select dry cleaner Acid-free, lignin free tissue and box or Padded hanger if safe Stable environment No light

40. Wood Furniture Cleaning - Dusting - No waxes, oils, sprays Handling - Pick up at strongest place - Check weak areas Stable environment Low light Pest prevention Water spills Good quality wax for protective layer

41. Silver Storage - Wrap in tissue, place in Pacific soft flannel bag, then polyethylene bag Learn how to clean Silver is soft- subject to denting Pollution tarnishes Avoid too much polishing Use cotton gloves

43. Key Resources I would like to acknowledge the main resources used to develop this power point program. Hold on to the Memories: Saving Family Treasures. Prepared for the California Preservation Program and the Inland Empire Libraries Disaster Response Network by Sheryl Davis, 3/5/2005 http://calpreservation.org/services/programs.html#saving_fa mily Preserving Family Collections: A Workshop Manual. Clement Bautista and Gina Vergara-Bautista, 2008 http://efilarchives.org/pdf/Preservation_Manual2-2_web.pdf http://efilarchives.org/pdf/Preservation_Manual2-2_web.pdf