For the most part, the ideal environment for long term storage of materials is about 70° Farenheit with humidity below 55%.
Do not store materials in spaces that experience large fluctuations of temperature and humidity.
Stark fluctuations can speed up the deterioration of your materials or contribute to the development of major issues i.e., paper becoming brittle, mold growth.
The benefit of having smaller enclosures for materials is that enclosures have their own micro climates that can be controlled due to their smaller scale. Smaller enclosures also help stop the spread of things like mold and pest infestations.
Issue | How to Identify | Mitigation or Solution |
Light | If photo was in frame, open frame and review edges to see if there is evidence of fading or color change. Digitally printed photos will experience a large color change due to printing technique. | It is important to identify the type of photograph(s) are in your collection to determine how light sensitive it is. Create copies for display, rotate periodically. Use frames with UV filtering glass. |
Water |
Emulsification of photo will break down. Surface is tackier causing photos to stick together. |
Keep materials away from known leaks or pipes. Practice safe handling by keeping beverages away when viewing materials. To be avoided so that it does not progress to a mold outbreak. Do not stack photos on top of each other. |
Handling | Wear on edges, creasing, bending. Presence of oils, dirt, or fingerprints on photograph or negative. | Handle photos or negatives with clean, dry hands or lint-free cotton gloves. Handle by edges only. Create copies to be shared and handled while original is kept in storage. |