# Long Term Book Storage



## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

I want to preserve some books and photos for a long time. Probably a few decades till my kids get older. 

I'm thinking of doing it like I would food. Vacuum with some o2 absorbers, but I wonder how well that will work.

Any suggestions?

I'm trying to make sure the family history survives me as most of it is spoken word and photos.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

I am pretty sure I used to see vaccuum sealer infomercials claim that very thing. One sealed up important documents, then a wedding dress. Not that infomercials live up to their hype, but if yours works well for other items, I would trust it with books, photos, and documents.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Oh, also, please consider scanning the photos so you have a copy on a disc, memory stick, ... I realize through the years you'd need to update this method, but your kids and grandkids would appreciate a storage method their generation would be using.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

From random website after a short search (I am not endorsing them or work for them!)
*STORAGE FOR MOISTURE
SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS*​ *If you want to store moisture sensitive paper, photos, and documents, we offer desiccants which will protect your documents from moisture. We also provide an aluminum foil ZipSeal bag approximately 11" x 12 1/2" with a bottom gusset for $1.75 each or $2.65 each with a package of desiccant packets which change from blue to pink when they are saturated with moisture. Use P/N LPTG05/5P*

This site seems like it has some good info.

I agree with Lake, digitize them and have multiple backups*, and *update the technology as needed! Remember floppy disks?​


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

I suggest putting cardboard or construction paper between the photos before sealing the bag. I don't think I'd vacuum the bag since that might exert too much pressure (14 psi) on the facing of the photos. I'd also use mylar bags instead of vacuum bags since the mylar is more impermeable. I also suggest not stacking anything on top of the bags.


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## Friknnewguy (Jun 30, 2012)

Also your local comic book shop would have acid free backing boards that you could use instead of cardboard .


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

To store photos you need acid free paper and really old photos will deteriorate as the chemicals break down. I would check with an expert at your local historical society or your local museum.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Marcus said:


> I suggest putting cardboard or construction paper between the photos before sealing the bag. I don't think I'd vacuum the bag since that might exert too much pressure (14 psi) on the facing of the photos. I'd also use mylar bags instead of vacuum bags since the mylar is more impermeable. I also suggest not stacking anything on top of the bags.


I'm going to disagree here. Cardboard and construction paper is very acidic and over time will ruin your photos and other ephermera. If you are going to mount your photos to paper, use non acidic scrapbook paper and corner mounts. You do not want to do anything that is irreversible. Some of it is pricey, but if you look around, you can find reasonable prices. If you have old albums, the paper they are mounted on is probably on the acidic side, but I have albums that are almost 100 years old and the pictures are OK. Insects, rodents and moisture are also great enemies. Some old albums have the pictures glued in and it may destroy the pictures to try and remove them. Scan everything in addition to protecting your treasured photos. Identify every photo, but do not write on the photo or across the back. Sometimes the ink will bleed through or the pressure will show through and ruin the photo. If it is necessary to write on the photo, do so on the back with a #2 lead pencil as near to the edge of the photo as possible.

I have worked with old photos, both of my family and in my hometown's historical society for many years. This year for Christmas, my dd is getting copies of old family pictures in addition to her family tree in a book format. She is finally old enough to treasure such things, when she was little and I was dragging her to libraries, courthouses and cemeteries, she couldn't understand why I wanted to do it. Now she is beginning to.

I glad to hear of someone who thinks it important to preserve such things. If you have any more questions, just ask.


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

LilRedHen said:


> You do not want to do anything that is irreversible.


That's what I was thinking too. I don't know much about preserving pictures, but I don't see any advantage in vacuum sealing the bag since it creates pressure on the photos. I think you'd be better off just sealing the bag with an O2 absorber in it as long as the absorber doesn't touch any of the photos.


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

I found this by searching "how to properly store valuable old books. Hope it helps.
http://www.evhsonline.org/preservation/presbooks.html.


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

For photos this is a good way to keep pictures without seeing deterioration http://antiques.about.com/cs/photographs1/ht/StoringPhotos.htm

Hope it helps.


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## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

Thanks for the tips guys. 

I'm going to be scanning most everything I have and writing out the stories attached to them as they were told to me then sending them out on thumb drives to the family. 

It's a pretty massive undertaking, but it's either that or it's lost to time.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Austin said:


> Thanks for the tips guys.
> 
> I'm going to be scanning most everything I have and writing out the stories attached to them as they were told to me then sending them out on thumb drives to the family.
> 
> It's a pretty massive undertaking, but it's either that or it's lost to time.


Austin,

It will be worth it in the end. Seven years ago, I went to a lady's house and scanned some old photos for the archive at my hometown's historical society. I printed them out with a number on each that corresponded to the picture and gave them back to her. She used that number and wrote down identifications for the photos. I had already dropped the pictures in MS Publisher, so I then went in and added captions and reprinted on acid free photo paper for the Historical Society. Since that time, she developed maccular degeration and now has alzheimers. Those identifications and copies of her family photos are invaluable to the community, but especially to her family who may not be able to identify any of the photos. I have scanned many family albums of the oldest people in the community and they felt the same way I do. Yes, it took time, but it is a way of preserving history. Last Christmas, I gave the Rooster's sister pictures of her grand parents and great grand parents that it had taken me 20 years to find. She was very appreciative, since she had no pictures of them.

I do not have any experience on vaccum sealers or O2 absorbers. Your photos or albums need to be kept dry and neither too cold or too hot. I live in an older house and have a mouse/mice problem, so I keep mine in plastic tubs with dissectent packs in them. I know this is not the optimal solution, but is cheap and effective.

You do not need to scan with a really high dpi. That only fills your hard drive up and does not really help. I always scan in color, even with a black & white picture and at 200 dpi. I save my scans in .tif mode and only use .jpg extensions for sending over the net (using a second copy, not renaming the original scan). You can do your own research on this. I have a friend who insists on scanning at 600 dpi and that is his decision.

Have fun!


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Austin said:


> Thanks for the tips guys.
> 
> I'm going to be scanning most everything I have and writing out the stories attached to them as they were told to me then sending them out on thumb drives to the family.
> 
> It's a pretty massive undertaking, but it's either that or it's lost to time.


Kudos to you, sir, for taking on that project. I know that there are a ton of photos in my family of people whom we have little idea as to their identity. I wish the older generation had tackled that project when they were still around.

Additionally, I'm glad to see someone else planning for preserving books. You know how I feel about that!


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## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

I do. 

Well my grandmother had a stroke a few months ago and lost her ability to speak. My mother started this project 12 years ago but died 10 years ago, so she already had a good start, but I'm going to have to transcribe a lot of the hand written manuscripts. 

I think it will be better for me to retype them.


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## Resto (Sep 7, 2012)

I have several books in my personal library that are over 120 yrs old without any prep and they are fine. a couple of decades IMO isnt much. However if TSHTF thats different. I have a temp. controled enviroment and my books are treated with great care. I could see vacum sealing them to protect them from adverse conditions and travel. HMMM now you have me thinking.
Thanks

Oh Shit...The Family Bible it is from the early 1700s and has hand written births in it from the late 1600s ! Never thought of that. Many Thanks!!!!


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## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

Resto said:


> I have several books in my personal library that are over 120 yrs old without any prep and they are fine. a couple of decades IMO isnt much. However if TSHTF thats different. I have a temp. controled enviroment and my books are treated with great care. I could see vacum sealing them to protect them from adverse conditions and travel. HMMM now you have me thinking.
> Thanks
> 
> Oh Shit...The Family Bible it is from the early 1700s and has hand written births in it from the late 1600s ! Never thought of that. Many Thanks!!!!


I think a large part of the issue is with the current quality of paper.


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