Genealogy Society gives hints on salvaging water-damaged documents

[Guest guest]

Many here have expressed concern about their pictures/papers, etc..

I have no idea if the suggestions offered here will help or not, I'm

just passing on the information.

Sharon

Genealogy Society gives hints on salvaging water-damaged documents

Terre Haute Tribune Star - Terre Haute,IN*

http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_168235917.html

TERRE HAUTE — To assist residents and businesses across the valley

who are suffering from flood damage, The Wabash Valley Genealogy

Society is passing on advice on how to preserve and minimize flood

damage to documents and photographs.

State archivist Jim Corridan has set up special phone lines to

assist the local government offices needing to salvage official

government records and has provided the following information for

residents in the area.

It's best to deal with the items immediately by carefully rinsing

silt and mud off the item with clean water, when possible. If not

possible, gently brush sediment off items. It is crucial to

completely dry or to freeze items as quickly as possible to avoid

the growth of mold. Photographs should be removed from frames or

frozen in frames.

Books, papers and homemade printouts of digital photographs can be

safely dried in a place where air is circulating and not in a

tightly closed room. You should place plain paper towels in between

approximately every 15 pages or less and change out with dry paper

towels as they become saturated. To dry photographs that have been

professionally developed, place wax paper in between each photograph

as they are drying, or lay the photographs out individually. Be

aware that photographs may curl if dried in this manner, but can be

flattened later. Smaller books can be stood on end on a flat surface

with the pages fanned open to air dry.

Only use this method if the book is strong enough to stand open in

this manner. Books and magazines with glossy paper must be opened so

that every page remains separated while drying to avoid the pages

becoming stuck together.

When items cannot be dealt with immediately, you should wrap each

book in plastic or stack papers no more than an inch high and

freeze. Professionally printed photographs should be isolated

between layers of wax paper before freezing. Freezing inhibits the

growth of mold. Items can be thawed at your convenience until the

pages or photographs can be separated without tearing and then dried

in the above manner. Continue to dry items in your preferred method

at least 24 hours beyond the point at which they seem dry to touch.

If items are affected by mold, do not try to clean them yourself as

the mold can be a health hazard; consult a conservation professional.

The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society is concerned about Vigo County's

official records and what is being done to preserve and protect them

from natural disasters, as well as from environmental situations,

where they are being stored. A committee from the society is hoping

to work more closely with the clerk's office and the council to make

certain Vigo County records are kept safe. For more information on

the society, visit the Web site at www.inwvgs.org or contact

Cruse, Wabash Valley Genealogy Society president, (812) 877-

2940.