Summer is fast approaching. Is your spring cleaning wrapping up nicely? While reorganizing, did you come across any family photographs, legal documents, important books or family heirlooms? If so, ensure those materials are properly cared for. Here are ten tips to preserve your family documents.
Organize
Tip 1: Sort your materials to determine what is really worth keeping. Most people overestimate what needs to be kept and cared for throughout the years. Safeguarding your family documents takes space, money for archival supplies, and time to properly care for these items. It can be very difficult to determine which materials to discard and which materials really are worth protecting for the next generation. The criteria may depend on each individual family or item. If unsure, I suggest keeping original vital records (birth, marriage, death), wills, deeds, military records, unique photographs, diaries and personal letters to/from close family and friends. Discard duplicates, routine financial statements, junk mail and news clippings.
Tip 2: Survey each item for water damage, mold, insects, or any damage. Move these materials into a separate box so the issue doesn't spread to the rest of your materials. Contact a conservator for an estimate to remedy the issue/s. Book repair and conservation is a specialized service.
Tip 3: Remove metal staples or clips and rubber bands (and anything else) that could damage or leave a residue on your materials.
Tip 4: Label your materials; especially your family photographs. These materials can last for generations if properly cared for, but your memory of the photo's details might not. Gently use a pencil to identify the who, what, where, when and why of a photograph's description on the back of each item.
Tip 5: Rehouse items in acid-free folders or envelopes before placing in acid-free boxes. These supplies can be purchased from most office supply stores. Be sure the label describes the supplies as acid-free and not just archival.
Storage
Tip 6: Lay the folders or envelopes flat in a box or be sure the folders/envelopes press securely against each side of the box to stop materials from curling over time.
Tip 7: Digitize records that are the most important to you. Digitization allows you to keep a back up, create reproductions more readily and share access with friends and family. Every Chicago Public Library has a scanner you may use for free, just remember to bring your USB flash drive with you.
Tip 8: Migrate your old audiovisual formats to digital. Migrating old video or audio cassettes to digital format is crucial to stop inevitable deterioration, as magnetic tapes degrade, mold, or break over time. Digital files preserve quality, allow for easy sharing and editing, save physical space, and make your memories future-proof by removing the need for obsolete, hard-to-find playback equipment. Converting analog video (VHS, Hi8) to digital involves running the tape on a player (VCR/camcorder) connected to a USB capture device or RCA-to-HDMI converter, using software like OBS Studio or included proprietary software to record the video onto a computer. You may need to hire a vendor to migrate your AV materials for a fee.
Tip 9: Get your boxes of family documents out of your attics, basements, and sheds! The Midwest has hot summers and very cold winters. Those temperature and humidity fluctuations are harming your family documents. The best place to store your family treasures is a bedroom or hall closet, off the floor and away from pipes with possible water leaks.
Tip 10: Do not use original documents to display, use a copy. Natural and artificial light will fade/harm the documents over time.
Questions or comments? Contact Chicago Public Library's Special Collections at 312-747-4875 or specoll@chipublib.org.
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