how to preserve family document

[happywanderer2]

My mom passed away last month and I'm going through her papers and found both my maternal and paternal grandparents wedding license. They were just folded up in a box. I'd like to preserve them but don't know the best way to do this. Can I just laminate them after scanning them into the computer? All input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think I would flatten them out and put them inside a plastic folder. You may not want to permanently laminate them.

 

[walden]

My mom passed away last month and I'm going through her papers and found both my maternal and paternal grandparents wedding license. They were just folded up in a box. I'd like to preserve them but don't know the best way to do this. Can I just laminate them after scanning them into the computer? All input would be greatly appreciated.

Please, please don't laminate them.

Family documents are worth preserving properly. You could pay to have them mounted and framed in museum quality materials for display in your home but that costs a lot.

You need to keep them in an acid free containers and away from extreme temperature changes and damp (not in an attic or basement). Lots of inexpensive options are described here. http://www.loricase.com/faq.html

 

[dzorn]

Don't also store them in a cedar chest or closet. Cedar will fade the ink.

Denise in MI

 

[LuvOrlando]

I would make high grade photo copies on nice paper at Staples so I could display them then find acid free paper and store them safely away from the light.

 

[happywanderer2]

thank you all for the suggestions. I'd like to mount and frame them but that can be really expensive. I think I'll look into putting them in plastic folders for now.

 

[bookgirl]

Actually plastic can be really bad as well. Go to a photo shop and get document/photo grade binders. You can also check, there is a spray that is used on documents that combats the yellowing and fadeing. I can't for the life of me remember what it is but we used it in my Archiving class when I was in Library School. Then just make sure to store flat, out of the light and to only touch when neccesary.

 

[NotUrsula]

No, not plastic folders, unless the "plastic" is actually acid-free archival-grade polyester. You should not mount them, either, unless you have a place in your home to display them where they will not be exposed to UV light (and if you do mount them, be sure that the mount is an acid-free dry mount under UV glass.)

I would suggest ordering a document box and some polyester envelopes for them. Either Light Impressions (lightimpressionsdirect.com) or Family Archives (familyarchives.com) will sell these in small quantity. You should be able to get a box and a small package of envelopes for no more than about $50.

PS: The spray that Bookgirl mentioned is called Bookkeeper, Light Impressions carries it. It's very expensive, however, and probably not necessary unless the documents are already becoming brittle.

 

[bookgirl]

No, not plastic folders, unless the "plastic" is actually acid-free archival-grade polyester. You should not mount them, either, unless you have a place in your home to display them where they will not be exposed to UV light (and if you do mount them, be sure that the mount is an acid-free dry mount under UV glass.)

I would suggest ordering a document box and some polyester envelopes for them. Either Light Impressions (lightimpressionsdirect.com) or Family Archives (familyarchives.com) will sell these in small quantity. You should be able to get a box and a small package of envelopes for no more than about $50.

PS: The spray that Bookgirl mentioned is called Bookkeeper, Light Impressions carries it. It's very expensive, however, and probably not necessary unless the documents are already becoming brittle.

Thanks, I was going to look it up later. We just called it the "spray". LOL I do however remember the professor telling us to use it lightly. Quess I know why now.

 

[happywanderer2]

like the idea of the document box and polyester folders. The papers aren't brittle but they are fading, aspecially the handwritten notes. thanks.