Newspaper Clippings: Can They Be Saved?
March 7, 2010
Lisa Louise Cooke and I had an interesting chat about how to preserve newspaper clippings. You get to listen in our conversation because we recorded it for Lisa’s Genealogy Gems podcast. Yay!
Episode 83 is ready and waiting for you. Below are my notes from that talk.
Before we begin our examination of old clippings, I want to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories.
Miriam asked me about newspaper clippings so long ago that I’m pretty sure we can now measure that time in years. Egad! A toast to Miriam and her infinite patience!
In case you don’t know already, Miriam is the creator of the wonderful ScanFest — a monthly online meetup/chat for folks who are scanning family treasures. ScanFest is one of the best ways I’ve ever seen to keep a your scanning project on track (big or small).
Bottom line: If you have scanning on your “To Do” list, be sure to check out ScanFest!
What is newsprint?
And why does it turn yellow and brittle?
I’ll put this as plainly and simply as I can: The paper used in newspapers is bad paper. It is highly acidic and turns brittle in a short amount of time. This process happens even faster when the paper is exposed to UV light.
Even worse than its short life span is the fact that newsprint will damage other materials it comes in contact with. (I know! Isn’t that awful?) The acids will leach out and “burn” photographs, letters, books. Not good.
Can the damage be reversed?
Chemical treatments (usually sprays or baths) can slow down additional deterioration, but sadly there is no way to undo the damage that has already occurred. Keep in mind also that some of these treatments will actually make the paper darker. There is only one way to turn back time and have a creamy white document – start over by reformatting to a fresh piece of acid free paper.
That’s right. The simplest method is to photocopy onto archival bond paper. But sometimes, you don’t want to lose that authentic original object. How to figure out the right option for you? First you have to answer an important question.
Why are you keeping this newspaper?
When your job is to preserve inherently bad paper, you need to ask yourself some tough questions: Why are you keeping this, exactly? What long term value does it have?
Is it the facts and information that are most important? In the case of the photo above, that would be the genealogical information you can glean from the names of parents listed in the obituary.
Or is the clipping itself an artifact you want to preserve long term? Perhaps the clippings were created and saved by your favorite maternal aunt. Every time you see glue in a brown glass bottle, you think of her.
Which kind of value you assign often has a lot to do with how much newsprint you have to deal with.
KEEPING FOR INFORMATIONAL VALUE: In a large repository it’s not uncommon to have a collection arrive with several cubic feet of clippings. The information is often pulled together from multiple sources, so it can be a real time saver for a researcher. The information is worth keeping, but the bad paper’s gotta go.
What to do? Archives routinely photocopy onto archival bond, include multiple clippings per sheet whenever possible. Toss the bad paper. Relatively inexpensive and simple process. You can buy archival bond in reams just like regular office paper. I recommend acid and lignin free with a 25% cotton rag content. If you don’t have access to a photocopier, I recommend a DIY station at any of the chain copy places. You might need to bring your own paper, and you’ll get a surprisingly small discount for doing that. But on the upside, there is no need to pay for color copies, since black and white is enough. Copy stores usually offer discounts when the total number of copies is high, so this can come out to bargain if you pool clippings with friends.
KEEPING FOR ARTEFACTUAL VALUE: You have an important newspaper clipping you want to keep as-is.
What to do? Lucky you! You have a few choices at your disposal:
- Clippings, Option #1: Put the clipping in an archival plastic folder or sleeve with a sheet of buffered archival paper behind it. If you haven’t de-acidified the newsprint, do not fully encapsulate it, since this will allow the paper to stew in its own juices. Put the polyester folders in file folders and boxes made from archival stock. Store in an area that is cooled in summer and heated in winter and is not overly humid.
- Clippings, Option #2: De-acidifying via sprays and dips.
- Entire newspapers: To protect newspapers from light, dust and critters, store them as flat as you can in archival boxes. The best boxes have a full depth lid to keep out dust, and a drop front to make it easy to remove the bottom paper. Try to find a box as close in size as possible to the newspapers you want to protect. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can create inserts from archival board to customize the interior size of the box. Important! Make a list of the contents of each box so you don’t have to paw through them to find out what’s in there.
More information on newspaper preservation:
- Preserving Newspapers (Library of Congress)
- How can I preserve my newspaper clippings? (Library of Congress FAQ)
- Hints for Preserving Family Collections (NEDCC)
And remember, if you’d like to hear a discussion about this topic, be sure to check out Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems Podcast, Episode 83
Photo Credit: “Life in Clippings” by Greencolander, via Flickr/ CC BY 2.0
A Crazy Rant About Local Eggs (with *important* information about archival photo boxes)
November 13, 2009
Sometimes? You have to carry your anger around with you for a looong time before you have a chance to write it down. I’ve literally been holding onto an empty egg carton because the icky marketing tactics reminded me so much of the way archival photo boxes are sold. It’s an important lesson for anyone who wants their photographs to last as long as possible.
Since when do “local” eggs come from a different state?
Last summer* my family and I enjoyed a fantastic vacation on a clear, cold Northern Wisconsin lake. Piney woods. Sandy beach. Quirky museums. We all had a great time. Our hotel room had a small kitchenette, so at one point we went shopping at the local grocery store for some breakfast food.
*Surprisingly, this is not the only family vacation story where I get angry about photo storage. The other one is about me finding one of those horrible sticky magnetic albums on sale in a shop. It was sold as “Photo Safe.” Said so right on the packaging. I had to be dragged out of the nice little stationery shop. Sigh.
Except we were on vacation in an unfamiliar city and the only local grocery store we managed to find was on the highway. It was a Super Wal-Mart. Not my first choice, but perfectly fine in a pinch. We just needed to pick up a few things and get back to the piney woods. Piney woods, yay!
Fast forward to me looking bewildered in the ginormous (meaning h-u-h-uh-UGE) egg section. How to narrow my choices without having to think too much? I’m not a big fan of plastic, as my readers already know, plus I’m lucky enough to live in a city where they pick up cardboard egg cartons for free as part of our municipal recycling program. Eeasy peasy, then. Cardboard was the answer. That one decision narrowed my choices dramatically. All I had to do was pick the cheapest cardboard container. Woo hoo!
Can you spot what’s not quite right with the winner?
The first thing to set off my alarm was the word quality. Quality? What kind of quality, exactly? They don’t bother to say. And what’s with Farmer’s Market Fresh? I bought those eggs in a Super Wal-Mart fer cryin’ out loud. Click here to see what one of these stores looks like. To steal a line from Douglas Adams, that’s almost – but not quite – entirely unlike a farmer’s market. Or at least every farmer’s market *I’ve* ever been to.
I see what you’re doing here, Anonymous Marketing Dude.
You are describing your eggs with words that evoke or make me think about qualities I like: A small family run farm with happy chickens. Eggs that are (literally) farm fresh — meaning they traveled only a short distance to get from farm to my breakfast skillet. In other words, not the kind of farm with chickens stacked floor to ceiling in huge warehouse style barns. Not the kind where hens live their entire lives in crowded cages. Do these eggs actually have any of those qualities? Hard to say. They were, in fact, brown. So that part was true. I haven’t managed to get a look at the barns where the eggs were laid to see whether it’s a factory farm or not. If you have, please let me know.
In any case, it says right there on the carton that these eggs sure as heck didn’t come from Wisconsin:
Once I figured out that these eggs came from out of state, I no longer believed any of Marketing Dude’s claims. Not the explicit ones and definitely not the implicit ones. Now that I think about it? I’m starting to get angry about Marketing Dude for lying to me. Angry enough that I might actually hold onto the empty carton for over a year just to complain about it publicly.
What does any of this craziness have to do with preserving photographs?
Archival.
Photosafe.
Permanent.
I’m sure you’ve seen these claims on photo albums. I am here to tell you that those words are basically meaningless. The terms are unregulated, which means companies are free use them to describe ANY product they want to sell.
(Kinda like calling out of state eggs local or farmer’s market fresh, no?)
Calling an album “photo safe” tells you only one thing: The manufacturer has decided that calling it that will sell more albums. No doubt to the people who who love their photos the most and want them to last as long as possible. Marketing Dude wants to evoke or create the feeling of permanence, of safe gentle storage. He is selling you the good feeling of satisfaction you will get by taking the best care possible of your photo treasures. You know… archiving. There’s a funny story about that, actually. Because buying supplies marked “archival” doesn’t get you the highest quality materials. Not by a long shot.
In fact, the term “archival” has been applied so loosely and so inappropriately that it is no longer used in International Standards for photographic materials.
Thank goodness for the Photographic Activity Test (PAT).
The PAT It’s an International Standard (ISO 14523) developed by the Image Permanence Institute. It’s a neat-o coolio accelerated aging test that incubatates materials in temperature- and humidity-controlled chambers to see if there are any harmful interactions between photographs and storage materials. If it passes the test, it’s the best reassurance you can have that the enclosures will not cause damage to the photographs. It’s the closest thing we have to “archival.”
Important: The PAT is an independent third party test.
It is my personal opinion that self-testing by companies is not as reliable.
Q. How can I find PAT passed boxes and envelopes?
A. Archival supply companies
The bad news in all this, I guess, is that it’s difficult to find PAT passed boxes in stores. You need to purchase them from archival suppliers like Gaylord.com or LightImpressionsDirect.com or MetalEdgeInc.com. The good news is that all these companies have online ordering and will also be happy to send you a paper catalog in the mail. Yay!
Little. Yellow. Dangerous.
July 18, 2009
Sticky notes are fine for temporary files, but do NOT use them on family treasures like photographs, bibles, clippings and letters.
Check out this email conversation from the Archives & Archivists ListServ…
Subject: [archives] Leaving post-its on back of photos – how bad is this?
How bad is it to have post-its on the back of photos? The photos are inside archival clear sleeves, along with a post-it on the back. Thanks for any input….Linda
Subject: RE: [archives] Leaving post-its on back of photos — how bad is this?
Linda,
Leaving Post-it notes or any adhesive materials directly on photographs can be destructive. If using post-its is your method of identification then the notes should be placed on the outside of the sleeves, not directly on the photographs.
Rebekah Tabah, MA
Photo Preservationist
Arizona Historical Foundation
The University of North Carolina (UNC) has a fantastic preservation program with a strong emphasis on public education. They state unequivacably that sticky notes are destructive to books.
Twitter version of this post: sticky notes=bad.
Great Read: The Museum of Obsolete Technology
November 9, 2008
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Alexander Stille is one of my favorite writers. Here is a link to the first essay of his that I ever read. I discovered it while I was in grad school over a decade ago, and I never forgot it. It’s free to read, and I hope you enjoy it.
Free Online Essay:
Are We Losing Our Memory? Or The Museum of Obsolete Technology
This essay comes from a collection called The Future of the Past
Discussion Topic: Do Replicas Count?
This was one of the most interesting points of Stille’s book…
In China, it’s considered preservation to rebuild crumbling treasures. Since the new parts are in the same style, they make no distinction between the original and the copy. Stille talks about how this cultural difference has caused problems when treasures go on exhibit to western museums. Westerners don’t want a copy, they want what they consider to be the only authentic copy…the original.
What do YOU think?
- Would you feel cheated if you went to a museum that only had replicas?
- Would it make a difference to you if the reproductions were created using the same tools as the original?
- Does it bother you if your historic family photograph is a modern print from a recent scan and not the original antique?
- What is lost when you create a copy?
- What is gained when you create a copy?
Sound off in the comments section, below.
Oh, and feel free to leave your comments about Stille’s Museum of Obsolete Technology essay if you like. I’d love to hear what you thing about it.
SLAGIAT: Using strong chemicals to clean photos
October 29, 2008
SLAGIAT = “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
In the past, conservators used poisons like cyanide and arsenic (!) to kill insects and other pests. Even though they didn’t always work. Eeeek. After apologizing for preaching to the converted, a conservator on a professional email list had this to say:
More than one of the chemicals that were considered safe early in my career have been discredited because many existing “approved” fumigation facilities were, in fact, unsafe, because the chemicals affected the chemistry of objects over time, or because there is continued off gassing from the treated object.
What seems like a good idea today may cause real harm in the long run.
This is precisely why I never recommend chemical solvents to clean prints or film. Even though professional photographers do this regularly. My argument is this: It might look better today, but what will happen 10, 50, 100 years from now? Better safe than sorry.
This is also why I urge you to wear cotton gloves 
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How to organize pamphlets and protect them at the same time
October 19, 2008
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This video from UNC-Chapel Hill reveals a neat-o way to store fragile pamphlets upright on a book shelf. If you want to get fancy, you can scan the original cover and attach a printout to your new cover. You can even add an edge label so you will know the title without opening anything up. Why should you bother?
With this system, the pamphlet lives in a custom envelope, so it stays dust free. Why is it important to keep dust away? My years as an archivist and my former career in a used book store showed me that if you wait long enough? Dust turns into gritty dirt. And not only is dirt is more difficult to clean — the grit can scratch and permanently damage your treasures as you attempt to clean it. D’oh!
Dust = Dirt = Damage
Another advantage of this system is that it protects ephemeral items from UV rays.
Light = Damage
What to do with a moldy photograph
June 30, 2008
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[Hmmm....let's see if I remember how to do this blogging thing...]
Lately, we’ve had some terrible flooding here in the American Midwest. The Wisconsin Dells lost Lake Delton. It’s completely gone! It was a man made lake, that’s true, but it’s been there for almost 100 years. I’ve pumped my basement more times than I care to remember in the last couple months. Fortunately, we don’t keep anything as fragile as photographs down there. And everything that’s down there is stored on shelves and not on the ground. Phew!
Where there is moisture and warm temperatures, there will be mold.
I DETEST MOLD. In fact, I hate it so much that just seeing a picture of it gives me the heebie jeebies. Mold is the enemy of every archivist. It destroys books and photographs. It is a serious health hazard, especially for people with respiratory problems. And it takes serious chemicals to kill it.
Prevention is the best cure. Mold loves a warm, moist environment. Do not give mold what it loves! Your best bet is to store materials only in climate controlled areas. That means air conditioning and a dehumidifier during warm, humid weather. Make sure your dehumidifier has a hose so the water drains continuously. Basements, attics and garages are not good locations to store items you value. Fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels are bad even without the threat of mold.
If you find mold. First of all, promise me you’ll treat it like the dangerous substance it is. Don’t touch it with your bare hands, and don’t breathe it in. (NOTE: People with respiratory problems should not go near mold even with a respirator.)
Kill it. There are chemicals that will kill mold spores, but unfortunately these chemicals will also destroy your photographs, books, and papers. You’ll need to inactivate the mold with more gentle methods. But be sure to clean shelving and walls with a mold and mildew killing solution such as Lysol, Clorox, or X-14.
De-activate it. If you brush a spot and it smears, it’s active. If it’s powdery and dry that means it’s inactive. Freezing, air drying, and exposure to UV light are all methods that will inactivate mold. But light can also cause fading, so don’t leave materials in direct light for more than an hour.
Once it’s inactive you need to either vacuum it up or wipe it off. Do not vacuum indoors unless you have a HEPA filter (otherwise you will just spread the spores to other materials inside). If you use cloth rags to wipe off the mold, change them often and be sure to wash them in hot water and bleach after use.
That’s why prevention is so crucial.
Isolate it. As an extra precaution, items that have been infected with mold should be isolated from the rest of your collection. Isolation is a good idea because the spores will literally infect other items. Put them in their own special box (or boxes if we’re talking about a large outbreak).
Scan it and dispose of the original. If isolation is too expensive for your budget, make a high resolution scan and create a new print. Do not attempt this if the mold is still active, or if there are inactive spores present. You don’t want to spread the spores to your scanner!
Want more info? Here’s a detailed article about mold, with a fabulous title:
Invasion of the Giant Mold Spore!
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Photo by Editor B, some rights reserved.
Original caption: “This picture from Xy’s 30th birthday party is a little worse for the wear after bobbing around in floodwaters for a couple weeks. Actually the damage gives it some interesting character, but I’m worried the photograph will be slowly consumed by mold.“
Keep the Littlest Ones Away from the Family Archives…
February 16, 2008
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I love this hilarious video of a wee one and the simple joy of tearing paper. It reminds me of the days when my kids were tiny and the wrapping paper was more interesting than the gift. Awww.
But it’s also an easy-to-remember lesson about why the smallest members of the family shouldn’t be allowed near irreplaceable family treasures.
Paper Vs. Plastic: Which One Is Better?
February 8, 2008
If you’re tackling a family photo project, you’ll need to think about what kind of storage supplies will work best for you.
Basically, you have two choices when choosing an album or photo storage box:
1. Paper.
2. Plastic.
The good news is you can find high quality archival storage products made out of either material.
But the bad news is there are plenty of junky materials out there.
A cheap photo storage box can cause more damage than it prevents.
Whether you choose paper or plastic, the safest supplies are the ones that have passed an independent test called the Photographic Activity Test. Click through to learn more about the test and why the term “archival” is meaningless when applied to consumer products.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both plastic and paper.
Plastic is good at protecting your treasures from fingerprints and spills.
Photo and documents that get handled all the time will be well served by putting them clear enclosures such as polypropelene and polyethelene. You (or third cousin who refuses to wear gloves) can see the images without touching them. Encapsulation is a good choice for fragile or torn paper that you can’t afford to have repaired by a conservator.
But for storage, I prefer paper. Here’s why:
Paper breathes.
Here in America we tend to put a lot of faith in the protective power of plastic. One visit to a grocery store here in the States will illustrate that fact very clearly. Everything from candy to beef to tomatoes is sold shrink-wrapped in plastic. I’ve traveled enough to know that this isn’t the case in the rest of the world.
When it comes to archival storage, the fact that plastic doesn’t breathe can actually cause more problems than it prevents.
Now, don’t get me wrong — plastic is great for keeping bad things out like moisture and fingerprints.
But…
Photographs, film and tape are all made from materials that change over time. When these materials change, they can leach chemicals or give off gases that will loop back and inflict self damage if they are “sealed in their own juices” as my preservation instructor used to say.
Here’s a striking visual example of what I’m talking about.
If this tape had been stored in plastic instead of cardboard, the acids and offgassing that burned brown stains into the box would have stayed inside and attacked the tape instead.
Photo of paper bags by tanakawho, some rights reserved.
Photo of tape case by Richard Hess.
*Note! That Richard Hess link will take you to his post that explains in more detail what’s going on in the photo, and why he thinks tape has escaped the vinegar syndrome that has plagued film.
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A scary reminder to back up your data…
January 25, 2008
MAJOR OOPS!
Wired News – AP News
- Software error at Charter Communications deletes 14,000 email accounts.
- No chance of recovery
- (except for data backed up by customers)
“There is no way to retrieve the messages, photos and other attachments that were erased from inboxes and archive folders across the country on Monday, said Anita Lamont, a spokeswoman for the suburban St. Louis-based company.” (Read the whole article on Wired News.)
Promise me you’ll back up your emails this weekend, OK?
