I was looking through my Great Grandmother's Journal the other day and realized that the pages had turned very yellow. This is not unexpected since she wrote in this particular journal back in the late 1800s. Her stories were simple, written by a 15 year old girl…but they are precious and I want to be able to pass them down to my children. I'm sure you have important books like that too; Family Bibles, Journals, Travel Logs, Scrapbooks, etc. Well, here are a few simple tips that will help you preserve these books for generations to come.
The first and most important thing to do is to ensure that you preserve the books as much as possible. Like the medical creed - "Do no harm"! That means:
- Don't try to scan or photocopy the book – you don't want to break the binding or damage the glue in the spine;
- Don't leave paperclips and other papers, clippings photos between the pages – the paperclips will rust, the photos, newspaper clippings will bleed onto the original book pages;
- Don't try to play amateur book binder and try to glue or stitch the binding;
- Don't store the book standing up on the shelf – the strain on the binding is too great.
These few simple steps will help preserve the book as much as possible for future generations. However, these steps alone won't save the book. Here's a few things that you can do to help the book last as long as possible:
- Remove dust and dirt from the pages with a soft brush;
- Take pictures of the important pages – open the book as you normally would on a flat surface (to support the covers) and using the camera's macro setting zoom in on the page as close as possible. If you can use a digital camera the photos can be stored together to form an electronic book. That way you can pass the important information to others for their enjoyment;
- Purchase acid-free boxes to store these precious books. The boxes should be slightly larger than the book. Be sure to wrap the book in buffered tissue paper to further protect it. Keep the box flat in a place that is safe from insects, humidity and extreme heat and cold.
By following these simple steps you will preserve your family's treasures for years to come. The books might not be pretty…but they are very important and deserve our best efforts to pass them on to our children and hopefully our children's children.
I'm sure that you have important Bible's, journals, travel logs and scrapbooks that you want to preserve. Tell us about them, and be sure to tell us any tips that you have to help others preserve their heritage too.
If you are already a member of All-About-Family-Trees.com, simply click on the "Add new comment" button and add tell us about your preservation techniques. If you are not a member yet, take a few minutes and join our growing community and tell us your family research story. Simply click on the link at the top right of the page, create a username and be sure to signup for our weekly newsletter. If you signup for the newsletter I'll send you a free copy of my e-book '10 "Must Know" Tips to Uncover Your Heritage'.
We all look forward to hearing from you soon.
