TO PRESERVE PRINTED IMAGES

To preserve printed images

• Keep them In an area that is dry, with good ventilation and a constant temperature between 70°F and 40°F (not the basement, garage or attic)

• Keep them away from any source of light, specially sun and fluorescent. Light, can make the prints fade. Store them in places that are part of your living quarters, with  climate controlled. DON’T: Store photos near a heating or cooling vents. DO: Store photos off the ground when possible

• If you have to store them in a storage, select one that is climate controlled and keep them away from the floor.

• An ideal container for storing printed pictures would have a sealed, water-resistant exterior, such as plastic, and soft but stiff dividers to separate prints on the inside.

• Handle the prints with white cotton gloves

• Remove paper clips, rubber bands.

• If the prints are glued or stock together do not try to remove or separate them.

• Identify them with soft pencil without applying pressure on the back. Put not only the name(s) of the person(S) on the photo, add whom they were related to.

• Store them in archival envelopes and an archival box. They must be made specially to preserve photographs. (Acid free does not offer the same protection as archival).

• Use stiff flat materials and store them flat.

• Avoid any kind of adhesives vinyl pages, magnetic photo albums, plastic containers except those that are specially made to store photos

• It never hurts to make copies of your photos, even after taking steps to preserve them in storage.

• If you want to display them, have them professionally scanned and have good copies done in archival paper with archival inks