[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Mylar L-Sleeves and humidity



It's not so much "sealing in moisture" that's a problem (which it could be)
but enclosing an item that is probably acidic. Having the item enclosed will
speed up the degradation of the paper. Unless you are sure the papers are
not acidic, you are better off without the sleeves.

Michael C. Miller
Special Collections Librarian
Dallas Public Library, Texas/Dallas History & Archives
1515 Young St.
Dallas TX 75201
214-670-1440
mmiller@lib.ci.dallas.tx.us


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sue Gardner [SMTP:sgardner@RCLS.ORG]
> Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2000 5:56 AM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      Mylar L-Sleeves and humidity
>
> I've recently been invited to arrange and inventory a historical society
> collection that has pretty much been left in piles in wooden drawers, in
> an unheated shed (I know, I know, but you have to start somewhere!). I'm
> a public librarian with limited archival experience.  Many of the
> materials are sole copies of important primary documents about this
> town;  after getting the inches of dust and bugs off, I'll put the loose
> papers in acid-free folders.
>
> My question is this:  It will be a long process to get the papers into
> a storage facility with environmental controls.  In the meantime, am I
> safe in inserting the papers into mylar L-Sleeves?  The temperature in
> the room fluctuates dramatically with the weather-- would I be "sealing
> in moisture" that would further damage the materials?  Or should I just
> leave them in the folders as is?
>
> There isn't room to put them in archival boxes-- should I be lining the
> wooden drawers with acid-free paper?
>
> Thanks for your sage advice, sorry for the bone-chilling horror.
>
> Sue Gardner
> Albert Wisner Public Library
> Warwick NY
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
>       In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
>                     *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
> To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu
>
> Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
>      http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
>
> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>