[BCMA] Scrapbook conservation

Tue May 10 12:54:18 PDT 2016

Hi Wendy,
You might also find some useful information in a short video about the Preservation of Scrapbooks created by the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives (ANLA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O2KO9XnPH0
A couple of other films on their youtube channel might also be useful:
A Guide to Preserving and Maintaining Bound Volumes (https://youtu.be/Sql6-NpaopI)
And 
A Guide to Storing, Handling, & Moving Archive Pieces (https://youtu.be/jorLz5OXiqM)

Good luck!

Jenny 

Jenny Seeman, MSc, Museum and Archives Specialist | Royal Roads University
T 250.391.2600 ext.4122 | F 250.391.2594
2005 Sooke Road, Victoria, BC  Canada  V9B 5Y2 | royalroads.ca

LIFE.CHANGING

-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: April-27-16 3:42 PM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: Re: [BCMA] Scrapbook conservation

Wendy,

	To echo Jodine, do not laminate it.....or anything collection related....ever. The process is virtually irreversible and over the long term it tends to degrade, causing damage to the items inside. The closest you could get would be to encapsulate the pages with Melinex/Mylar if they are removable or slide sleeves over the pages if they are bound. This will give the pages some protection but accessing will eventually cause the various items, such as leaves, to degrade. Providing access is great, but if it means the lifespan of an item is significantly shortened visitors may have to deal with using images of the pages. Scrapbooks are often historically made of poor quality materials, acidic paper and a whole host of things that mean that the things that people used to preserve their memories are the same things that are the worst for them.

	As mentioned, scrapbooks are odd things. I love how personalized they can be and the story they tell but they are also they are one of my biggest headaches. Sometimes the books and pages are an integral part of the piece, sometimes not. Sometimes components can be removed, sometimes not either due to the nature of the component, how it was attached, or by the context it gives. Each book is different so it's hard to say the best solution. Good luck!

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
Phone: 306-778-4815
Fax: 306-778-4818

-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 1:31 PM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: [BCMA] Scrapbook conservation

Wendy,
Please do not laminate it.  Scrapbooks are complicated items (as you have seen) and dealing with it will likely not be very easy.  If you send me your email I’m happy to send you some resources off list for deciding what to do.

Cheers,

Jodine Perkins, MLS

> 
> 
> Hello
> I have a conservation question you can help me with.
> 
> This tiny not for profit museum received a scrapbook donation which consists of a cheap scrapbook/photo album (with mostly black pages). It was put together by a group of Junior Red Cross members at a school in Ierapetra, Crete in 1959-1960.
> 
> Pages have a variety of additions. One has real grape leaf with grapes, another olives and olive leaves, another a sand and glue topical map of Crete (slightly damaged, another small handicrafts like costumes. Many pages have hand written notes on lined paper with ball point ink.
> 
> My challenge is to conserve the book while allowing access to it for visitors. I considered photographs but the real value is in seeing the original in its three dimensions.
> 
> Is it possible to laminate the pages and reconstitute the book and, if so, where do I go for this? Budget is very limited. 
> 
> Any other options?
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Wendy
> 
> -- 
> Wendy Smylitopoulos
> Curator
> Greek Heritage Project Museum
> Victoria & Vancouver Greek Community Society
> 250 419-3151
> 

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