In-House Preservation

Overview

This section specifies the boxes and folders commonly used, and examples of specific formats and actions that may need extra preservation attention. These are the actions carried out daily by those processing physical collections. For more information on digital formats see the section on Digital Preservation and for materials that do not fit into the following boxes and folders see Custom Preservation and Conservation.

Best Practices

Storage

When not actively working on materials they should be stored on shelves or on pallets when space is limited. Don’t leave boxes directly on the floor, in case of leaks, flooding, and pests. Boxes should not be stacked more than four boxes high.

Large and/or heavy items (e.g, record cartons or oversize flat boxes) should not be placed above shoulder-level. 

Handling and Lifting

Record cartons used in Distinctive Collections generally weigh up to 40 pounds.

• Know your safe handling limits:

  • If a box is heavy, ask a second person to help you lift it, or unload contents into 2 boxes.

  • Never lift materials weighing more than 50 pounds by yourself.

  • Only move 4 to 6 boxes on a rolling cart at a time.

• Lift with your knees rather than your back.

• Do not twist while lifting.

• When lifting and carrying an object hold it close to your body not higher than chest level.

• Push rather than pull when moving heavy objects.

Standard Tools and Supplies

Folders should always fit the box without leaving excess space on the sides.

Avoid reinforced file folders as brittle materials can catch on them and break. When using reinforced folders, reverse fold them so that the seam is on the outside of the folder.

Standard Sizes
Type	Dimensions	Where Used
Letter	9.6" x 11.8"	Record Cartons, Manuscript Boxes (letter)
Legal	9.6" x 14.8"	Record Cartons, Manuscript Boxes (legal)
Oversize	14" x 18"	Flat box PB14183
	20" x 24"	Flat box PB24203
Half drawer	24" x 36"	Map case
Full drawer	36" x 48"	Map case

Distinctive Collections generally purchases boxes in a few standard sizes. Most fit either letter or legal size folders. Oversize flat boxes are ordered in two sizes, along with appropriate sized folders.

Standard Sizes
Name	Dimensions	Extent (volume)
Paige record carton	15” depth x 10” height x 12” width	1 cubic foot
Letter manuscript box	12.25” depth x 10.25” height x 5” width	0.36 cubic feet
Legal manuscript box	15.25” depth x 10.25” height x 5” width	0.45 cubic feet
Half letter manuscript box	12.25” depth x 10.25” height x 2.5” width	0.18 cubic feet
Half legal manuscript box	15.25” depth x 10.25” height x 2.5” width	0.23 cubic feet
Flat box PB14183	18.5” depth x 3” height x 14.5” width	0.47 cubic feet
Flat box PB24203	24.5” depth x 3” height x 20.5” width	0.81 cubic feet

Items smaller than 20" x 24" will be placed in boxes. Larger flat materials are stored on-site in a map case.

Supply stations are supplied and stocked by Wunsch Conservation Lab. Contact conservation staff to replenish materials when empty. These are located in areas where processing occurs, such as onsite storage, the mezzanine, and basement processing areas.

Supplies include:

• Letter size folders, sub-folders, and mylar L-sleeves.
• Legal size folders, sub-folders, and mylar L-sleeves.
• Acid-free paper flags.
• White plastic erasers.
• Rulers.
• Microspatula.

Processing Supply Station

Rehousing Materials

Foldering

• Folder size must match box size. Any subfolders or L-sleeves used must be the same size as the folder.
• Retain all original folders when possible.
• If the original folder has noticeable physical weakness replace with new folder.
  • If there is information on the original folder keep it and put it in a new folder.
• Materials stored in hanging files (i.e., Pendaflex) should be refoldered. Retain original title, and place the label in the folder.

The default orientation for folders within record cartons is letter size orientation. If there are materials that are larger than letter width and fit into legal size folders, the entire box can be shifted to legal orientation. All folders in a box must be the same size. If there are only a few legal size records, individual folders may be added to a legal size manuscript box.  You will want to note what box they originally were removed from so that they can be intellectually integrated in the resource record. Oversize materials should be placed in flat boxes or in flat file storage.

Bound Materials (books, albums, volumes)

When you encounter books or bound volumes in an archival or manuscript collection they may be foldered. Bound materials should always be stored spine down – text blocks may detach from the binding when stored spine up.

Scrapbooks, albums, and heavy or oversize volumes should be stored flat. 

Slide and Split Ring Binders and Other Adjustable Bindings

Adjustable bindings (split ring binders, Acco binders, slide binders) may be removed as needed. Remove any bindings that are damaging or make the use of materials difficult. Materials removed from these types of bindings should be kept together in folders or subfolders as appropriate.

Metal Fasteners

We do not routinely remove metal fasteners from material, but we may elect to remove them if the fasteners are causing significant damage to the material or to their folders or other housing.

Remove paper clips by bending the smaller loop upwards. Support the back side of the clip while you work. Never slide a paperclip off.

Always remove staples with a microspatula.

• Use your opposite hand to support the paper around the staple as you work.

• Work on the back side of the paper.

• Use the blunt end of the spatula – only use the pointed end to get a difficult staples started. A heavy duty microspatula is also available for heavy staples.

• Bend up one prong of staple at a time.

• Support the paper around and over the opposite prong when bending the first prong up

• Gently remove the staple from the front side of the paper

For instructions on disposing of sharps, see Disposal decision guide.

Newspaper Clippings

If  a collection is processed to a level 3 or 4, archivists may want to place newspaper clippings in subfolders, unfolding clippings if they are folded. If the clippings are friable or damaged, use an L-sleeve in place of a subfolder. Depending on the collection it may also be appropriate to move oversize clippings into legal or oversize folders.

Photographs (prints, negatives, slides)

In general we do not need to rehouse prints, negatives, and slides if they are in original housings such as separate boxes or envelopes. We may want to add some preservation measures when they are in a folder with other material that they should be separated from (e.g., a single negative or print within a folder of newspaper clippings). If processing to a level 2 or 3 and a single photograph is found in a folder, one can create use a subfolder to provde protection. Photographs may also be interleaved with paper. If there is one or a few loose slides, they should be put into a slide sheet and kept in their original location.

If processing to a level 3 or 4 it may be appropriate to put prints, negatives, and slides into specifically created sleeves and separate them from the rest of the collection.

Telegrams and Other Fragile and/or Acidic Materials

Acids in poor quality papers (e.g., newsprint, telegrams) can migrate to other materials and cause damage. Use subfolders or L-sleeves to protect and isolate materials. If using an L-sleeve make sure fragile materials are supported during insertion.

Transparencies

If transparencies are sticky, moldy, or smell bad they should be discarded. Otherwise they can be foldered similar to any other pieces of paper in a collection. Transparencies are heavier than paper and because of this if there are a lot of transparencies they should be housed in manuscript boxes rather than record cartons.

Physical Legacy Media (Substrates That Hold Digital Media)

Note these in the description (at file and/or collection level).

Textiles

Textiles should be placed in flat boxes only with other textiles. Textiles may be unfolded or left minimally folded (i.e., in half). Contact the Wunsch Conservation Lab for large textiles, or if the object warrants more attention than flattening and fitting in a flat box. Textile boxes for use are kept at onsite storage.

Frames

Frames should be removed from materials when appropriate. Use your best judgement. If materials are fragile, intricate, fused to the frame, or would be difficult to remove the framed object can be placed in a box, with or without a folder. Final decision is up to the archivist. When considering folder size take into consideration if item can be removed from matting easily — materials may be adhered to the mat.

Some frames may be easy to remove with or without minimal tools. Pay attention to the construction, some frames use hardware that is easy to remove by pushing up or down, or are held together only with screws. These frames may be reused by staff (or offered though the reuse list, reuse drop spots, or Choose to Reuse events).

For frames with a dust cover, remove the backing with a box cutter, being careful to not cut beyond the paper backing. Mat boards will often be held in place using small nails or framing points. Remove these fasteners with pliers, or bend up using a microspatula. Use care — framing points are sharp on all sides.

When finished, glass should be separated into a box. Contact EHS to remove. See the Disposal Guide for more. 

Digital Disk Images

Often we do not want to retain full disk images but only the files within or a subset them. In order to extract the files from the disk images, there are a few tools that we can use. You can find an overview below and the documentation for each on the Disk image extraction page and the steps to follow afterwards.

The main tool for extracting disk images in the CCA tools Disk Processor. It is used on all disk images when possible. This will extract the files and you can choose whether you want to retain the disk image or not. It will also create a number of reports that will also be used in surveying the collection.

 The HxC Floppy Emulator is a tool that allows for opening of floppy disk images, browsing some types, exporting files, and convert disk image formats. It also allows you to visual the tracks of a disk image, to see where the errors/data are. If CCA disk processor has failed or you have .raw disk images that you couldn't extract files from, you can load the raw files and try to extract files created on various DOS systems.

HFS Explorer allows you to mount and export files from HFS disks (Macs) individually. This is a back up to CCA tools disk processor (which uses this behind the scenes) or if you want to check to see if floppy disk imaging was successful.

Photocopying Material

We do not routinely photocopy original material. In most instances you will either keep the original material or discard it after copying the needed information. However, when there is information on original housing that you want to preserve but the actual housing can be discarded (e.g., notes written on a binder) , photocopy the material and insert the photocopy in the folder or subfolder with the related materials.

Recording Preservation Actions

Any preservation actions undertaken should be documented in the collection description. Most actions should be documented in Processing Information notes. Notes on preservation concerns or special handling needs should be documented in the Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note. Notes should be placed at the collection level and at the file or item level for any special concerns.