Special Collections and Archives works hard to protect the collections we receive. We have a room with that regulates the temperature and humidity, custom shelving, and we use acid-free folders and boxes. Our goal is to preserve material for generations to come.
Everyone has their own personal treasures – photographs, certificates, memorabilia, newspapers. Some may be digital, some paper. So how can you care for them? There are many great resources online to provide guidance on taking care of your own personal treasures:
- Library of Congress, Family Treasures:
http://www.loc.gov/preservation/family/index.html - Northeast Document Conservation Center, Resources for Private and Family Collections: http://www.nedcc.org/resources/family.php
- National Archives, Preservation:
http://www.archives.gov/preservation/ - Minnesota Historical Society, Preserve Your Family
Treasures:
http://www.mnhs.org/people/mngg/stories/
A question we often receive is about digitizing collections.
Scanning your photos or other documents is a great way to have a backup copy or
to share with others. But don’t just scan them and throw them away! Sometimes
computers crash, files get accidentally deleted, or software becomes obsolete.
Go ahead and scan, but keep the originals in a dark, safe place. Or donate them
to an archives! Here are a few guidelines to help you decide how to care for
digital treasures:
- Library of Congress, Personal Archiving:
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/index.html - Library of Congress, Scanning Your Personal Collections:
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/documents/PA_scanning.pdf - National Archives, Should I Digitize My Photo Collection?:
http://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/digitizing-photos.html
Cheryl Oestreicher, PhD
Head, Special Collections and Archives/Assistant Professor
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