Standard Archival Manuscript Collections
CHALLENGES
- Collections included acidic paper items, photographs, diazotypes, folded blueprints and other media that could damage adjacent materials or require special housing or environment
- Acidic materials, binders and corroded fasteners required special attention
SOLUTIONS
- Materials were housed in acid-free folders, while folded blueprints and diazotypes were housed in unbuffered folders or polyester sleeves
- Corroded fasteners were removed and replaced with paper strips and stainless steel paperclips
- Photographs and photostats were housed in polyester or polyethylene sleeves
- Vulnerable materials were separated out (e.g. color slides were pulled for cold storage)
- Folded oversize items were treated if necessary and rehoused in oversize flat storage boxes
Left: Oversized photographs housed in flat storage boxes.
Center: An original binder from an archival collection.
Right: Document storage box showing proper rehousing methods.
Above: Spacer used in a document storage box when items do not fill the box.
