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Preamble

The Australian War Memorial Photographs Section houses its working copy 5x4
inch negatives in glassine bags.   A twin of each of these is housed in a
buffered (pH 8.5) paper envelope and stored separately at 8 degrees C.
Where an original negative is held for any of these images it is stored  in
the same paper envelope as the latter but kept separate in a cold (4-6
degrees C)  vault designed to house cellulose nitrate materials.

Problem

The images that we have preserved by either duplicating an original
negative (see above) or copying a print are digitised from the  set of
working negatives.  It is necessary for us to attach a barcode to these
glassine bags to enable our photographers to record the number of each
negative before they digitally capture it. Please visit our website at
www.awm.gov.au  and examine some of the 200,000 images so far captured. Our
problem is finding a barcode size label with an adhesive that poses no long
term problems when affixed to individual envelopes.

 For example  the latter are absorbent so there might be problems with
glues transferring to the negative.    However inefficient adhesives might
mean we discover in ten years that the labels are falling off.   Perhaps
off-gassing of glue solvents will be problematic as some drawers, normally
containing 400 reasonably tightly fitting envelopes, might not  be accessed
more frequently than once or twice per annum.

Essentially what we seek is advice on "safe" adhesives, has anyone
successfully satisfied similar requirements or can refer us to someone who
has or can supply satisfactory labels.

Thank you all in anticipation.

Ian Affleck                              Andrew Jack
Senior Curator  of  Photographs                    Curator of Photographs
Australian War Memorial                  Australian War Memorial

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George Bailey
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial
Treloar Centre for Conservation
4 Callan St, Mitchell, A.C.T. 2911
Australia
Phone: +61 2 6243 4440
fax:   +61 2 6241 7998
email: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.awm.gov.au

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