FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Oct. 24, 2007
CONTACT:  Chelle Somsen, (605) 773-5521, Chelle.Somsen@state.sd.us

State Historical Society-Archives advises care of family collections

PIERRE, S.D. – In recognition of Archives Month 2007 the South Dakota State Historical Society-Archives is issuing press releases on various topics relating to archives, research, and genealogy. The four topics covered during Archives Month include “How to Write a Useful Obituary,” “Naturalization Records,” “South Dakota State Censuses,” and “Care of Family Collections.”  Care of family collections is the last of four topics. 

There are a few significant factors you should always consider when handling and storing your family’s collections. Time and attention spent now will extend the life of your family treasures.

“Storage environment is key to preserving family collections,” said Matthew T. Reitzel, manuscript archivist with the State Archives. 

Ideally, collections should be kept in an environment of 70 degrees and 40 percent relative humidity. High relative humidity promotes insects and mold growth, while low relative humidity will make collections brittle. Dramatic temperature and relative humidity changes will do serious harm to your collections and should be avoided.

“Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world,” Reitzel said. “Be mindful of the temperature and relative humidity where your collections are stored. It may be necessary to move your collection if it is in an unsafe environment. Keep your collections out of basements and attics.”

Photographs and paper documents are most commonly found in family collections. These simple steps can help add to the lifetime of your collections.

For photographs:

§        Wear cotton gloves when handling photographs or negatives

§        Always label or index your photos. You may recognize the images, others may not 

§        Make reprints, photocopies, color copies, or scans and store the original photo

§        Avoid careless handling which will cause abrasions, tears, or breakage

§        Light damage (UV or Sun) is cumulative and irreversible

§        Keep photos in acid-free/archival quality containers

§        Avoid adhesives on photographs such as self-adhesive tape & rubber cement 

For paper:

§         Store paper in acid-free containers and folders.

§         Make copies for personal/working use and keep the original safely stored away

§         Handle your papers as little as possible (use copies)

§         Remove staples, paper clips, and rubber bands from paper

§         Unfold paper when possible. Folds will eventually result in tearing.

§         Keep newsprint or any acidic materials from direct contact with your paper. 

• Never use self-adhering tape to fix paper you are planning to keep.

“Imagine that your collection has a given life expectancy,” Reitzel said. “Is what you are doing today making your collection live longer or die quicker? Having a good mindset on how to preserve materials will make them last for generations to come. Your goal should be that your great, great, great grandchildren will thank you and be grateful that someone in their family kept the collection safe.” 

The digital age brings a new host of issues in regard to collection care, according to Reitzel.  

“Most people, myself included, have a digital camera or scanner and have images stored on a computer,” he said. “Along with your computer, save images on CDs or DVDs, external hard drives, or thumb drives. As time goes by, resave your files to updated computer mediums. It is crucial to know that your computer shouldn’t be viewed as an end-all for preserving family collections. You may have a scan of something -- that doesn’t mean the original no longer has to be preserved.”   

You can visit the State Archives website for more information on care of your family’s collection at www.sdhistory.org/arc/cc/collectioncare.htm.

The South Dakota State Archives is located in the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre, SD.  The State Archives is open Monday through Friday and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. You can contact the archives by phone at (605) 773-3804 or by e-mail at archref@state.sd.us