Hi Margaret, The absolute best way to store a textile is flat with no folds. This might be possible for small ones but as they increase in size- rolling on cardboard tubes is the best method. The bigger in diameter the tube- the better for the textile. A barrier layer should be placed over the tube because most are acidic. Polyethylene or aluminum foil make fairly inexpensive barrier layers. Once the textile is rolled onto the tube it should be protected against dust with a layer of unbleached muslin or polyethylene. If polyethylene is used the ends should be left open to prevent a condensation problem. Textiles stored in plastic garbage bags is probably a bad idea for a number of reasons. The plastic is probably not archival and may be adversely affecting the textile. The bag may be hiding an insect problem that you cannot see through the bag. At the very least, the bag should be left open at the top to prevent condensation. If you have to leave some of these textiles folded, buy some acid-free (unbuffered) tissue and crumple up a generous amount to pad out the folds (so there are no sharp creases). Folding in a different direction also helps minimize this problem. I'm not sure what "lumped" means, but it doesn't sound good. Try rolling or folding with padded out folds. Storage on open shelving is not the greatest because of exposure to light and dust. Perhaps you could invest in some large acid-free boxes. The Mountain-Plains Museum Association has a purchasing co-op that allows you to obtain significant discounts on archival supplies. You can contact them at www.mpma.net. I hope this helps. Sincerely, David Ryan Registrar Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum www.cspm.org ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).