Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR STORING AND DISPLAYING
FAMILY TREASURES
Most materials like the same environmental conditions people do.
Keep all items clean and free of dust.
Do not store treasures of any kind in attics, basements, garages or unairconditioned
storage sheds.
Protect all items from extreme temperatures, high humidity and water damage.
Do not over clean. The general rule is “Do not do anything which cannot be undone.”
This includes lamination.
Invest in acid-free storage materials.
Do not use rubber cement or self-stick labels. Gummed labels will dry out and fall off.
Remove metal fasteners such as paperclips and straight pins because they will rust. If
you do need to use fasteners use either plastic clips or rust-proof aluminum paper clips.
Label items for future generations. Your descendants will need to know why you have
kept this “stuff”, what it is, who made it, when and where.
When items need more than basic care or need restoration, or art works need
cleaning, consult a professional conservator.
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
PAPER MATERIALS
YOU SHOULD:
1. Unfold anything that is folded. Paper will break along folds and creases.
2. Store in a cool dry place.
3. Store away from sources of direct light.
4. Store in a FIREPROOF area.
DO NOT DO ANYTHING WHICH CANNOT BE UNDONE!!!
This includes:
1. Lamination.
2. Using glue or rubber cement.
3. Using Scotch Tape (even if it is advertised as being archival)
4. Using metal paper clips or pins which will rust.
5. Using rubber bands. They get crusty and stick to paper and leave behind a stain.
Enemies of paper-based archival materials are light, dampness and dirt.
1. Light fades (especially sunlight and fluorescent tubes).
2. Dampness breeds mold and mildew.
3. Dirt, and even dust, abrades.
Paper can be its own worst enemy. Wood pulp paper commonly used in newsprint and scrapbook
pages has a high acid content and literally eats itself up. The acid will migrate to anything it
touches. Good quality paper stored next to paper with a high acid content will eventually become
brittle and disintegrate just as newsprint does. Valuable resource documents should be created
on 100% rag content paper (preferably acid-free) and stored separately from high acid
papers.
Important newspaper articles, such as obituaries and wedding announcements, should be saved by
photocopying them on archival paper such as Permalife.
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
PHOTOGRAPHS AND WORKS OF ART
Important photographs, such as weddings, christenings, etc. should be made on black and white
film and archivally processed.
Use cotton gloves when handling these materials.
Store photographs in a cool, dry area away from direct sources of light.
Display only copies of photographs and keep the originals in a controlled environment.
Treasured photographs can be copied on film or scanned for display.
Do not use “magnetic” albums with adhesives built in to the pages. The photographs may stick
permanently. Use archival albums and acid-free photo corners.
Original artworks should be framed using acid free matting and backing boards and displayed in
low light. Any cleaning of oil paintings should be done by a professional conservator. Even
dusting can remove small chips of paint from old paintings.
Label photographs by writing lightly in #6B drawing pencil on the back. (Drawing pencils can be
bought at art supply stores such as Michael’s.) Place the photograph face down on a hard surface
and write in the area of the white margin. If there is no margin, write on the bottom edge.
NEVER write across the body of the photograph. The impression will appear on the face of the
picture.
DO NOT use stick on labels. The adhesive on self stick labels may discolor the picture and the
past on labels will eventually fall off!
Art works should be labeled on the back of the frame in the same way. Include the name of the
artist, the title of the work and the date it was created if you know it.
Sample labeling
Photograph: Della Mitchel Miler and her children L-R: Harlan, Orrin, Wilbur
Ca. 1914, Osceola, IA
Art work:
The ranch house in Real County with fall foliage
Oil painting by Lola Mueller ca. 1940
Josephine and Chessie Perkins sat with Mrs. Mueller
on the hill about the house while she did the preliminary
sketches. Chessie Perkins commissioned the painting.
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
CARE OF FABRICS
General guidelines:
Make sure fabric is clean with all soap rinsed out before storing.
Do not starch.
Roll fabric rather than fold. Fibers break first on fold lines. Stuff garments with acid-free
tissue paper (which can be purchased at the Container Store).
Never bleach linen.
Mend fabric with cotton or linen thread rather than synthetics, which will cut the natural fibers.
Do not store in a cedar chest or cedar closet. The acids from the wood will eventually break
down the fibers in the cloth.
Long term storage of garments on hangers will stress the fabric at the shoulder.
Protect fabric from exposure to direct sunlight or fluorescent light.
Old Fabric – Particularly Christening Dresses and Linens
(This information is from Michael Haynes of the Witte Museum)
If the fabric is white linen or cotton and has yellowed:
Soak in lukewarm water, possibly for several days. Much of the color and stains will come
out.
Wash gently in a mild detergent such as JOY. Do not use Woolite.
Rinse very thoroughly to get all the soap out. Do not wring.
Dry in the sun.
Iron.
Stuff with white acid-free tissue paper so there are no folds.
Store in an acid-free box large enough so the article is not crushed.
Rust stains may be removed by treating them very gently with a mixture of lemon juice and
salt and exposing them to the sun.
Labeling
Label your precious items so future generations will know why you kept them.
Use unbleached muslin, wash and rinse thoroughly and dry in the sun.
Iron the fabric on the shiny side of freezer paper.
The text may then either be printed on a computer or written in indelible ink.
Sew the labels to the item in an inconspicuous place with cotton or linen thread.
Sample Labels:
Sunbonnet Girl
Pieced and quilted 1936 by Ora Mae Willis
for Josephine Perkins
Fabrics are from Josephine’s dresses
Applique – Wool batt
Star of Bethlehem
Made by Annie Kate Elder
Mother of Chesley Elder Perkins
Red, White, Blue has faded out
Pieced – Cotton batt
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
CARE OF METAL ITEMS
General guidelines:
Keep clean – wash in soap (not detergent) and water, rinse thoroughly and dry.
Do not use harsh cleaners or abrasives.
Store in a clean dry area – Not the Garage!!! (Car exhaust will cause corrosion.)
Over cleaning can reduce the value of an item. Sometimes less is best.
If an item was originally painted you may want to restore it in the original colors
with rust retardant paints.
Iron
Iron is the metal most subject to corrosion. Keep objects away form high humidity,
fingerprints, salts and acids. Remove dirt, grease and moisture for the surface. To remove rust
use an abrasive softer than the iron itself. Light rust can be removed by rubbing with very fine
bronze wool and mineral spirits. To prevent additional rusting you may warm the iron piece in
the sun and coat it with beeswax and wipe off the excess wax; this is a reversible process.
Tin
Use fine polishes such as silver polish if desired. Be careful not to wear the tin coating away.
Copper and Brass
Lacquered objects should be washed in a mild detergent, thoroughly rinsed and dried.
Unlacquered pieces can be polished with a mixture of two parts denatured alcohol, two parts
distilled water and precipitated chalk or fine powdered whiting mixed to a paste. Rinse thoroughly
and dry. Some commercial polishes and lemon and salt may do more harm than good. Avoid
placing the items near object containing sulphur or chlorides. Store wrapped in acid-free tissue
inside a polyethylene bag.
Silver
Clean with soap (not detergent) and water. If additional cleaning is necessary use as mild a
cleaner as possible. After using any commercial polish rinse the silver in water and polish dry
with a soft cloth. Do not use electrolysis or silver dip as it may remove decorative oxidation.
Excerpted from Nebraska Cooperative leaflet NF93-139 Preservation of Metal Items by
Shirley Niemeyer, Extension Specialist. http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/homegt/nf139.htm
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
INTERNET RESOURCES
http://mhs.org/preserve/treasures/ Minnesota Historical Society. Preserving Your Personal and
Family Treasures. Wide range of topics including salvaging damaged items after a disaster,
mounting fabric for displays and much more. One of the most comprehensive sites on this topic.
http://www.nedcc.org/leaflets/fmlycol.htm. North East Document Conservation Center.
Hints for Preserving Family Collections.
http://ianr.unl.edu/pubs/homegt University of Nebraska Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and
Natural Resources. Catalog of Home Management Publications. Site is frustrating to use but has
the text of pamphlets on preservation of metal, paper and glass posted.
http://www.amigos.org/ Amigos Library Services. Offers preservation services and seminars and
classes to libraries and librarians.
http://www.lib.cmich.edu/clarke/pres.htm Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
Preserving Memories, Caring for Your Heritage. Includes material on media.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/repairindex.htm Dartmouth University.
Simple Book Repair Manual.
http://nla.gov.au/chg/gloss.html National Library of Australia Library Preservation Glossary.
http://photographymuseum.com/archival.html American Museum of Photography.
Preserving and Protecting Photographs. Good information for the non-professional.
http://www.thc.state.tx.us/cemeteries/cempreserve.html Texas Historical Commission.
Cemetery Guidelines. Includes information on how to clean headstones.
Preserving Family Treasures
SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
ARCHIVAL SUPPLIES VENDOR LIST
Note: This list is a selected sample of vendors who deal in archival supplies. Inclusion in this list should not be
construed as an endorsement of these companies by either the San Antonio Public Library or the Texana/Genealogy
Department. Because archival supplies can be expensive you should compare prices and shop around for the best
deals. Some companies sell in small quantities to individuals while others only deal in bulk and require a minimum
purchase order. Most will send you a catalog or brochure if you call or e-mail them and some also have trained
conservators or archivists on their staffs who can answer any specific preservation questions you may have.
Archival Methods archivalmethods.com (866) 877-7050 (on-line catalog only)
Sells acid-free storage boxes, photo albums, files, folders and envelopes for document and
photo protection and preservation. Sells individual boxes.
Archival Products archival.com (800) 526-5640
Deals in archival storage boxes and binders. Sells individual boxes.
Gaylord Gaylord.com (800) 448-6160
Broad range of library and archival supplies including storage boxes for documents, photos,
media and textiles, acid-free folders, envelopes and sleeves. Some size boxes sold individually,
others require minimum order of three.
Hollinger Corp. genealogicalstorageproducts.com (800) 634-0491
Specializes in archival storage boxes but also sells folders, envelopes and sleeves. Minimum
quantity of five required for most box orders.
Light Impressions lightimpressionsdirect.com (800) 828-6216
Deals primarily with photography and artwork preservation needs. Sells photo albums and
pages, storage boxes and bags, portfolios and cases and mounting and matting supplies and
frames.
Metal Edge, Inc., metaledgeinc.com (800) 862-2228
Sells archival storage boxes, folders and envelopes, pamphlet and document binders and
conservation supplies. Most box sizes require a minimum order of three to five. Offers special
prepackaged genealogy and small collection preservation kits.
University Products universityproducts.com (800) 628-1912
Provides a wide range of archival acid-free storage boxes, specialized containers, envelopes,
binders and folders. Some size boxes can be ordered individually while others require a
minimum order of three.