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Archival Safety - your important artifacts should be kept in the safest place possible. Archival indicates about how long a material's life will be. The label archival estimates the material has a life range between 50 and 100 years. Near-archival is considered to have a life from 30 to 50 years.
While there isn't a set standard or standard tests to follow to determine if a material or product is archival safe from degrading over time, there is a coordinated and concerted effort in the archival community to further develop and distribute science-based preservation information and guidelines towards ensuring artifact longevity.
Harmful conditions, which degrade an artifacts archival abilities include: acidity, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) content and contact, humidity, extreme temperatures, sensitive adhesives, dust, dirt and light.
Some easy steps to preserve artifacts are:
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Store the artifact in a archival safe quality scrapbook, frame, archives box, envelope, or holder.
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Choose a storage format that allows for easy viewing without directly handling the article. |
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Use only acid free, lignin-free and PVC / acrylic free materials, paper, sleeves and adhesives. |
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Use the highest quality materials. Never assume that a product is acid free, lignin-free and PVC / acrylic free unless it actually claims to be so. |
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Avoid adverse temperature, moisture, light, magnetic materials, dirt and pressure-sensitive adhesives.
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Make digital images / copies. |
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Avoid the materials on the JournalsandBooks.com Avoid List. |
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