Subject: Time capsules
A local church is seeking advice on placing items (books, newspapers, color photos, etc.) into their cornerstone for a second hundred years. The items, including newspapers, placed there in 1890 and removed two years ago are in quite good condition, except for having been torn some in unsoldering the metal box. What preservation considerations should one be mindful of? I've advised the use of buffered tissue, folders, and box for everything except the color photos but what else should they do? The cornerstone is sandstone, and doesn't receive much direct sunlight, so it seems that the temperature won't fluctuate much in there. But what about the lack of moisture? Doesn't paper need a source of air and moisture for its fiber-strength? The time capsule is to be ready for placement by the first of November. **** Moderator's comments: This is something of a FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) and has been dealt with in the DistList before. Please take a look through the FileList. I can also provide some notes on the subject if you drop me a message at <whenry [at] lindy__stanford__edu> Todd Ellison, Archivist/Asst.Prof. Fort Lewis College Durango, CO *** Conservation DistList Instance 6:23 Distributed: Sunday, October 18, 1992 Message Id: cdl-6-23-006 ***Received on Tuesday, 13 October, 1992