Erica - If these are very important documents I would look for a
conservator to aid with a humidification process. However, if they are
supportive material for a collection or less important, David is correct
that there are passive ways to add humidification and then flatten the
documents.
        First look to see how tight the roll is and if it has any water
soluable adhesive applied seals or stamps that need to be retained. Inks too
can be fleeting. These are issues that may need more expert advice. Also it
is good to remember that the tighter the roll the more care is needed as a
tight roll must be humidified and opened differently. Outer layers get
saturated before the inner layers and rolls must be slowly opened as the
document relaxes. No one part of the document should ever be over humidified
or wet. Also remember that emulsions will tend to go back to their shape of
a curl so an encapsulation should also be considered with a supportive
folder after the documents are flattened. One last bit of common sense
advice...try this in a summer month or warm climate. Your environmental
conditions at the time (and later storage) will only work against you if you
are doing this out of a conservation lab and it will be better for the
materials.

        Good luck and do get some expert advice and good books like the one
below.
        Regards,
Kim Feinknopf-Dorrian
Ohio Historical Society
History Collections Department
1982 Velma Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43211
(614) 298-2052
[log in to unmask]



> -----Original Message-----
> From: David E. Haberstich [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 12:30 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: rolled documents
>
> Rolled photographs can be "relaxed" by humidification in a simple homemade
> humidity chamber, then can be flattened under weights.  Instructions can
> be
> found in Ritzenthaler's book, "Administration of Photographic Collections"
> (I
> think that's the title), available from the Society of American
> Archivists.
>
> David Haberstich
>
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