MAHONING VALLEY Saving artifacts is touchy situation

Light, temperature and humidity levels all affect aging historical items.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
Audrey John knows one of the keys to making sure historical items are well-preserved.
It's telling people not to touch.
"We can't be afraid to ask them not to touch things on display," said John of the Niles Historical Society.
Though there are signs throughout displays asking people not to touch the artifacts, John, who works at the Ward-Thomas Museum on Brown Street in Niles, said sometimes people can't resist.
"They think, 'It's just me. I'm not going to hurt it,'" she said.
But if everyone thought that way, the items would be handled all the time, she said, accelerating their deterioration.
Jessica Trickett, who works with the Arms Family Museum of Local History and Mahoning Valley Historical Society on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, said she and other volunteers go through the same thing.
"Especially with metal and wood objects," she said. "The oils and acids in your hands can etch fingerprints into metal objects and leave stains on woods and fabrics."
Trying to preserve historical items takes a little luck and a lot of concentration on the elements that can break down objects, the women said.
Sunlight
Light, especially natural sunlight, is one of the most damaging, John said.
"You can hang a picture or document on a wall and not think the light's hurting it, but when you take it down and remove the frame and border, you can see where it's faded," she said.
She suggests using blinds or curtains to limit the light; or better yet, make a copy of the photo or document and display the copy instead of the original.
Trickett said monitoring light, temperature and humidity levels are equally important when trying to preserve any item.
"Especially when it comes to paper items, works of art or textiles, " she said. "Those are all very sensitive to light, heat and humidity."
The Arms Museum underwent a two-phase renovation of its heating and air conditioning systems a few years ago, she said, that allow the items to be kept in temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees and between 45 percent and 55 percent humidity.
John said the Ward-Thomas House is not equipped with air conditioning, so volunteers try hard to make sure there's plenty of air circulation throughout the home.
Don't laminate
For those who try to preserve items at home, especially paper items, the women recommend staying away from the traditional school of thought.
The tendency for people, they said, is to want to laminate paper items they want to save.
"But the glue and the heat used in the process of laminating actually speed up the yellowing process," Trickett said.
John noted that laminating newspaper articles is not a good idea, either, since the glue will eventually eat away the ink.
Both suggested making copies of articles on acid-free paper, or keeping the original between sheets of mylar, which is also acid free.
John also warned against storing items in an attic or basement, since extreme temperature and humidity changes in those areas can advance the aging process.
"A first-floor, inside closet is usually the best place to store the real treasures," she said.
slshaulis@vindy.com