I have had some experience in preserving highly acidic paper from this time
period.  At our Preservation Department, we have been cataloging and
conserving Tibetan manuscripts that are printed on badly damaged tissue
paper from the early 1920's, and I would recommend that for your drawings
you should take color photographs of each image as they are right now, and
then disbind the materials and place the original drawings in
archivally-sound acid free polypropolene sleeves to preserve them the best
way possible.  This will continue to make them accessible, and will save
them from further damage.  I would not recommend deacidification for these
materials, we have had experience with the process that discolors the
artifacts and it only works on slightly acidic paper most effectively.  The
photographs could then be scanned and later digitized to provide access to
the drawings.

Just my input,

C. Harrison Wick, MLS, PhD
NEH Supervisor
Preservation
Indiana University


-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Krans [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 4:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Paper conservators, I need some advice!


I'm actually working on setting up an archives program for my sorority
and I've discussed the issue (highly acidic paper) with my professors.
Basically, the only thing that you can really do is to photocopy the
pages so you don't completely lose them.  Another thing you might look
into (depending on what kind of budget you are looking at) is putting a
piece of acid free paper between each page and also look into
deacidification (sp?) sprays and solutions.  That can get EXTREMELY
expensive, though.

Sarah Krans
Eastern Michigan University
Historic Preservation graduate student

Sleep well. . .to eat little, work hard, and have many concerns on our
mind and then refuse to let our body sleep is to try to get a great deal
of work out of a poor, emaciated horse without letting him graze. - de
Sales


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of David Bingell
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 4:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Paper conservators, I need some advice!

To all the paper conservators and those who love them:

Please point me in the right direction for a project
the White Mountain Apache Tribe is interested in
pursuing.

We are about to receive a fantastic document in the
form of children's drawings of Apache life from the
1930's and 40's.  They are all mounted on the type of
paper the old grocery bags are made from, and the
paper they are drawn on is, of course, not very good.
They are mounted in book form, the owners took one
apart (actually, it fell apart), and store it in an
acid free binder -- great idea!  But the paper is
still highly acidic, and the adhesives are beginning
to break down.  A few of the drawings are starting to
fall out.

This is a precious document, and we are trying to find
how much money will be needed to conserve and preserve
the documents, who may we approach for this type of
project, and where is a good paper conservator located
(at least near to us)?

Thank you for your kind consideration in regards to
this matter.

David Bingell
Collections Manager
Nohwike' Bagowa White Moutain Apache Cultural Center
and Museum
Fort Apache, Arizona

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