Fun Stuff

It's September!

Did you know that September is "Save Your Photos Month"?  When a natural disaster, digital malfunctions or human error occurs, treasured memories are lost forever. Save Your Photos Month reminds us to back up our digital pictures, scan and save the vintage ones.

So, we thought that we would reach out to our experts at the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service, and they gave us the following advice:

• Remember that all carbon-based materials will decompose over time - your job is to make sure you stave off that decomposition as long as possible.
• Store photos in a box to keep them away from pests. A cardboard box or plastic box with a lid is fine.
• Store them in a place that isn't going to be subject to huge fluctuations in temperature. They should never be in a place that gets too hot, or too cold. Garden shed = bad; under your bed = good. 😉
• Keep photographs away from light. Light will bleach out the photograph and age it more quickly.
• Do not use a marker or pen on the photograph. Identify people on the back using a pencil only.
• Photographs that have been printed using a home printer (or portable photo printer) will deteriorate much more quickly than those developed professionally.
• Photos in self-adhesive photo albums should stay put. If you do need to remove them, watch this video about how to gently remove the photographs using unwaxed dental floss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFsziaX_v_g
• Probably the best advice I can give regarding digital photographs is to keep them backed up, keep them organized, and describe them on a spreadsheet (who/what/when/where/why).
• Store photos in an area that isn't at risk of flooding. There's nothing worse than finding your box of photos is sopping wet after a basement flood!

#SaveYourPhotosMonth