welcome to the ancestral findings podcast do you have any ancient genealogical documents in
your collection here's how to preserve them for future [Music] generations
every now and then in genealogy you will acquire an ancient document for your collection
you may get this document through a gift from a family member a distant cousin you met on
the internet at an in-person or online auction or any other number of interesting and unusual ways
you can even find one in an old book you buy or in some elderly relative's attic a document is
considered ancient if it is a century old or older and its age is usually showing while some ancient
documents are in better condition than others they must all be handled carefully to make sure they
are preserved for future generations here's how to do it if the document is falling apart already
you've got to take drastic conservation steps to preserve it smooth it out as much as possible
doing so on a flat clean surface while wearing archival safe gloves so the oil on your fingers
doesn't get on the document handle it extremely gently to avoid any more pieces of it falling off
once it's smooth and easy to read with most of the crinkles worked out of it transfer it into
an acid-free archival safe plastic sheet holder then store it flat in a place well away from
anything that may bend it in any way and make sure the place you keep it is dark and cool
a dark and cool environment will ensure the document's ink or pencil writing does not fade
and that mold does not grow on it store it up high to prevent water damage in case of a flood
keeping it in a fireproof safe is an ideal location as long as there is enough room
in the safe for the document to lay flat a safe deposit box at the bank will also do
if you don't mind keeping your documents away from the house the oldest and most frail
documents should be preserved and stored this way ancient documents that are in better shape and or
are newer relatively speaking can be kept in acid free archival safe plastic sheet protectors
in three ring binders along with your other family documents
the key to keeping any ancient document in good shape is to use acid-free archival safe storage
materials and keep it safe from humidity water and light as well as any further folding or bending
it is also important to avoid touching ancient documents with your fingers if you can avoid
it using archival safe gloves is the way to do it to ensure the document stays in the best shape if
you touch the document with your bare fingers the oils from your fingers will get on it and
build upon the document causing greasy residue and making the ink or pencil writings smear
the acids in the oils in your fingers will also eventually start to break down the paper
once you know how to preserve ancient genealogical documents you will always
be able to keep your precious family records safe this is a favor you are doing not only for future
generations but for the past generations who made the documents in the first place [Music]
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