Margaret,
A few years ago we cleaned a set of pharmacy paers which came from an
attic  and were covered with a variety of filth. You first consideration
is not to loose the order of filing inherent in the bundling.  If you do
not have an archivist on staff ask for help on their eventual
cataloging.
To clean try two methods. 1)while the papers are still bundled place
them on a nylon screen which has been streched over a cardboard box.
Attach a vacuum cleaner to the bottom of the box.  Use a brush to clean
the papers (still bundled)while the vacuum cleaner is turned on.  This
will remove most of the loose filth on the outside of the papers 2)
Remove the ties and unfold the papers - if they are as moist as you
indicated they shuld unfold easily.  Clean the sheets with a
"dry-cleaning pad".  Such pads are found at architects supply houses.
Such cleaning invloves lightly brushing the pad on the papers.  These
tasks should not be done in an area where you are storing collections.
For mildewed areaes - set the paere in sunlight,  This will kill much of
the mildew.  Badly damaged papers can be xeroxed. Destroy any papers
where the mildew seems to be deeply rooted.

Greg Koos
McLean County Historical Society

Margaret Bullock wrote:
>
> I am currently helping our local police department organize and inventory
> materials they have on the history of the department. Part of this
> collection includes several boxes full of court papers, city contracts, and
> other miscellaneous papers from the 1870s thru early 1900s. For a very long
> time these papers were stored in a basement (in a damp climate) and are now
> covered in dirt, cobwebs, dead bugs, and in many cases, mildew. All are
> folded closed, some are sealed in envelopes, and others tied in bundles with
> string. I could really use some advice on
> 1) how to clean these papers (if at all) so they are no longer a hazard to
> handle
> 2) how best to store them
> 3) how to determine which are probably beyond help and should be discarded
> 4) what (if any) handling they can withstand--we have no idea of the
> contents aside from a brief description in fading pencil on the outside of
> some documents. The paper is yellowed but intact, not brittle, crumbling and
> flaking, or tearing.
>
> Thank you. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please reply off-list to
> the address given below.
>
> And I should say we are working with a VERY limited budget here (of course!)
> so extensive conservation work is not an option right now. Also, the local
> history museum is barely keeping the doors open and buried under a backlog
> of items to catalog and conserve, so donating them there is not much of an
> option either.
>
> Thanks again.
> Margaret Bullock
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