From: "Joan Williams" <stefan@foothills.net> Subject: [EKy] FYI: preserving those old newspaper articles and books I'm forwarding this from another list.  Thanks Joan B. Williams FIDGET PRESENTS: Ask Anne and Nan By Anne B. Adams and Nancy Nash-Cummings February 7, 2001 f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f * f OLD PAPERS YELLOW WITH TIME DEAR ANNE AND NAN: Over my lifetime of 92 years, I have collected newspaper articles, letters, books and magazines, some over 100 years old. In general, they are yellowing and becoming more fragile as time goes on. I would like to save them for my family, if possible. Is there anything I can do to preserve them and prevent further deterioration? -- LYLE HEDRICK, Gardnerville, Nev. DEAR LYLE: In regard to your newspaper articles and letters, we recommend you take them to a copier center, which will be able to duplicate them on their machines. Please specify that you want them to use acid-free paper when copying. You can then store both the original articles and letters, along with their copies, in Mylar sheet pockets or acid-free album pages. The yellowing occurs because of acid used in paper manufacture. There is a new product on the market called "Bookkeeper Deacidification Spray" which uses magnesium oxide to neutralize the acid. The magnesium oxide becomes firmly fixed in the cellulose fibers and on the paper's surface, and it is a permanent process, leaving an alkaline reserve in the paper. There are a number of options you can choose from for preserving larger objects such as books and magazines. We think your best bet is to order a catalog from the Gaylord Archival Storage Materials and Conservation Supplies (P.O. Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221-4901; 800-448-6160). The catalog is free and is filled with technical tips on preservation techniques as well as every kind of product you may require for the preservation of books, manuscripts, photos, artifacts, textiles and memorabilia.