Damage Assessment and Preservation Priorities

"How do I know which records to get fixed?" is an oft-asked question from town clerks and historical society volunteers. A good first step in answering this question is to carry out an inventory of your records. The inventory can help establish the location of records and note the present condition of the object. The second step is to assess the types of damages present and the risks they pose to the long-term preservation of the collection. This can be done systematically by two different methods: A clerk or historical society volunteer can carry out a self-assessment of their records or a general conditions survey can be carried out by a conservation professional which will help establish the priorities of the collections.

Resources:

Abbreviated Survey Form Polly Darnell

"Priority Actions for Perservation", Northeast Document Conservation Center, Technical Leaflet

Permanent Records Inventory Sheet, Polly Darnell

Types of Damages in Paper and Book Collections, by MJ Davis, VMGA Project Director

Damage to artifacts comes from four categories: handling, inherent vice, storage conditions, and added materials. Sometimes the damage is from one specific incident or it can occur over a period of time. More times that not the damage is a result of a combination of the categories mentioned above.

Handling:

• Dents are created in the paper substrate during improper handling
• Dirty hands, dirty work surfaces and poor housekeeping will stain and disfigure documents and records.
• Tears are a direct result of careless or improper handling.
• Food and drink stains occur when people eat in work areas.

Inherent Vice:

• Acids naturally found in the artifact will attack the cellulose molecules and cause degradation. This is most noticeable in papers made with a high wood pulp content.
• The media used for writing or printing is acidic and will cause damage over time. Early iron gall inks (brown in color) were very acidic and in areas of heavy application, the paper can actually be eaten away.

Storage and Environment

• Contact with poor-quality storage materials will cause stains and brittleness.
• Poor environmental conditions can cause mold growth or excessive heat.
• Rodents and insects can raise havoc and cause permanent damage to paper-based collections.
• Inappropriate storage spaces such as attics, basements and sheds raise the risk of damage to very high levels.
• Damage can occur from mechanical systems and natural disasters.

Added Materials

• Rubber bands degrade and can adhere themselves to artifacts.
• Paper clips deform the paper and if metal clips are used, they can deposit rust on the surface.
• Sticky notes are particularly damaging to clay coated papers. They do leave a small amount of adhesive residue on the surface.
• Adhesives that are not reversible are inappropriate. There are only two reversible adhesives that are acceptable in paper conservation, methylcellulose and wheat/rice starch paste.
• Metal staples will rust in poor environmental conditions. Stainless steel staples are available.
• Pressure-sensitive tapes of any kind, even those that say the adhesive is "acid-free" are not appropriate for repairs on collections of importance.

Resources:

"Everything You Wanted to Know About the Storage Environment But Were Afraid to Ask", Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board, March 1998.

The Conservation Corner, Wisconsin Historical Society

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