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Re: moving newspaper volumes



|SNIP|
> We have to move all the volumes from their present
storage area to another location. Boxing them for the move would be
prohibitively expensive, and carrying them unboxed would be hazardous to
the more fragile ones. I noticed that some of the archival supply companies
carry mega-sized polyethylene zip-lock bags, which seem to be the most
affordable solution. Once we get the volumes to their final destination,
though, we wondering whether it would be a bad or a good idea to leave them
in the plastic bags. It would certainly keep them a lot cleaner, but would
the bags speed up deterioration or slow it down? Would it help or hurt to
leave the bags unzipped or should we keep them sealed and put something
like silica gel inside? Or should we remove the bags after the move is
completed and leave the newspapers uncovered (except by dust) on the
shelves? Thoughts, suggestions, etc., greatly appreciated.
*****

Have you looked into shrink wrapping them? It is a low cost method to stabilize the materials without a lot of effort. The shrink wrap can be left on to protect from dust and water leaks, and you can easily re-wrap them after patrons have used them. There maybe issues with creating microclimates and contact with the plastic (use interleaving paper?), but for move purposes it can be ideal (and Cheap!). Contact the Preservation Department at Penn State University Libraries for more information about shrinkwrap, and always consult with a conservator before doing anything radical.

Michael Horsley

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