comparison of media for archival stability

[james norman]

i am trying to put together some information for my state historic preservation office about archival stability of different materials submitted to them for the ir files. i remember a while back some links someone posted here showing the re sults of testing of a variety of media types but cant find it again. i need to find info on the archival stbility/expected longevity of such media as RC prints (both b/w and color), mounting adhesives for prints, laser-printed text adn ima ges, any form of digital printing for text or images, xerox copies of original m aterials, color xerox materials, etc. if you know of any recent articles or goo d weblinks, please let me know. thanks.

[pat krentz]

I would think that the best source for that infomation would be the people who are submitting the material to your office for use/sale and then you would have it in writing from the folks who sold it to you in case you needed it later on. Pat

[kthompson]

Try getting a copy of Henry Wilhelm's book "The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs." There's a ton of good information in there about all sorts of materials. He also has a web site at www.wilhelm-research.com. Another good source would be the Image Permanence Institute, which has a web site as well, but I can't remember the address. It's based out of RIT, I think. Lastly, Kodak has a few good books, although they may be a bit dated now. One that comes to mind is "Conservation of Photographs". I think you'll do best with the Wilhelm book, although the IPI has alot of good information on long term film storage. If you're dealing with archivists and museum people you ought to check out both sites as well. Hope this helps.

[kthompson]

Hey, sorry to post again but I've got a little more information for you regarding the non-photographic items you've listed. You may want to take alook at the mammoth "Conservation OnLine" website, this one has just about everything you need to know and links as well. If you don't feel like wading through that, check out the Library of Congress "Preservation" website. They have a "Preservation Supply Catalog" on there that lists out the specs. for vendors etc., for all the different products they use. You'll find data about photocopying there too. If your state has anything like a Dept. of Records, or a State Library, you might be able to get some assistance from them as well. One thing to keep in mind about LE ratings is that it has alot to do with the storage environment, you know, what happens to the stuff when it leaves your hands. You might want to factor in all this, like temp/humidity, enclosures, air quality etc. when you make your recommendations. I should probably add that I'm not an archivist, or a conservator, but I am a staff photgrapher in a state run history museum. In a way I can sympathize with you as part of my job is to maintain the negs/transp. we generate here. I should also throw in the disclaimer that the "opinions expressed here may not represent the policy of my agency." That said, good luck and again, I hope this helps.

[james norman]

vielen dank, herr thompson.