Special Collections often receives questions about preserving family documents, photographs, and books. While the standard recommendations of keeping materials free from light, heat, and humidity still hold true, there are many web-based resources available that offer practical and often inexpensive solutions for taking care of our precious family materials. Visit the following sites for more information:
Caring For Your Family Archives:  National Archives and Records Administration

Preparing, Protecting, and Preserving Family Treasures: Library of Congress

Resources for Private and Family Collections:  Northeast Document Conservation Center 

In addition to web-base resources, many books about document and photo preservation are available.  Visit the library’s online catalog  for titles.

Need to rebind a treasured book?  Depending on the condition of the book and how much you are willing to spend to have it rebound, several options exist.  If you need a simple binding, you can check with a company that provides binding for libraries.  If the pages are brittle, or the book is fragile, you may wish to consult someone who practices the art of  hand binding.  Click here for a list of commerical and fine binders in Ohio.

Filed under: Genealogy, Local History, Preservation Tagged:Family Documents,Family Photographs,Preservation