Archival Compromises

            We make compromises all the time.  That’s true in life and it’s true in archival processing.  There’s the ideal way to do something and then there’s reality.  For example, many factors go into making a decision as to the best housing for collections.  Right now dealing with architectural plans I am having to compromise to deal with those factors. Because the drawings are on different media, each requires different housing.  The ideal is to store them flat in metal map cases and separate the different materials - linen from tracing paper and so on.  The reality is that these plans are going to be digitized meaning each set needs to be kept together.  In addition we don’t know where the plans will go after they are digitized so we don’t know what potential housing conditions they will face. Unless you're the Getty, money also limits decisions that are possible.  All of this means that rehousing decisions will involve compromise. You just have to do your best.  The same is true for protecting your materials at home.  At a minimum keep paper items in the dark with some control over humidity and temperature.  That means not in an attic, basement, or unheated storage building.  Some things you just shouldn't compromise if you want materials to last.