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How to guides
These how to guides can help you preserve and care for your collections at home or work.
Looking after your collections
These information guides offer advice on preserving and storing your precious items.
General care of your collections - Overview
This brief information guide covers the general care of library and archival document collections including books, diaries, documents, letters, and photographs.
PDF · 127 KB
Paper-based collections
This guide covers the care of unbound paper-based collections. Material in this category encompasses works of art on paper (e.g. prints, watercolours, charcoal, pastels, pen and ink and pencil drawings) and archival and family history material (e.g. certificates, newspapers, maps, letters, and land deeds).
PDF · 247 KB
Books and bound material
An information guide on caring for books and bound material.
PDF · 214 KB
Parchment documents
A guide outlining advice on storing and caring for parchment documents.
PDF · 163 KB
Photographs
PDF · 279 KB
Digital prints
Discover how to minimise potential risks with regard to digital images/prints.
PDF · 128 KB
Magnetic media
Is your wedding on VHS? Your music on audiocassettes? This information guide outlines how to care for magnetic media.
PDF · 148 KB
Motion picture film
PDF · 351 KB
Preservation planning for large collections
How to develop a preservation plan to care for a large collection now and into the future.
PDF · 176 KB
Children's artwork collections
This guide covers the care of children's artworks on paper, collected and retained for long term preservation.
PDF · 236 KB
Digital Preservation
Learn how to preserve your digital photographs, emails, recordings, and documents.
Disaster recovery
These guides outline steps to salvage water-damaged paper, book, photographic, and audiovisual collection.
Emergency recovery of water damaged collections
Helpful tips for the initial salvage of collections affected by water. It is important to attend to the damage as quickly as possible to prevent permanent damage and mould growth.
PDF · 159 KB
Freezing water damaged and insect infested collections
Freezing is an effective method to deal with insect eradication in certain types of material, particularly paper-based collections. It also buys time when treating water damaged and mould affected material.
PDF · 139 KB
Salvaging water damaged collections
Steps to salvage water damaged paper, book, photographic, and audiovisual collections. It is important to attend to the damage as quickly as possible to prevent permanent damage and mould growth.
PDF · 196 KB
Preventive Conservation
These guides assist with planning for preservation before disaster strikes.
Book wrapping
This is simple guide on how to wrap books with archival paper. It offers a secure and affordable option to safely protect, preserve, and transport your book collection.
PDF · 528 KB
Dealing with mould
Moulds can be dangerous to people as well as collections. This guide will help you prevent mould and treat mould affected collections.
PDF · 187 KB
Freezing water damaged and insect infested collections
Freezing is an effective method to deal with insect eradication in certain types of material, particularly paper-based collections. It also buys time when treating water damaged and mould affected material.
PDF · 139 KB
Housekeeping checklist
A housekeeping checklist to help you care for your collections.
PDF · 183 KB
How to make a four-flap enclosure
How to make a four-flap enclosure
PDF · 183 KB
How to make an archival corrugated box
How to make an archival corrugated box
PDF · 168 KB
Matting and framing
Framing artworks and heritage collections, if done to conservation standards, will help protect and preserve.
PDF · 210 KB
Pest management
A guide providing details on how to protect collections from pest activity.
PDF · 115 KB
Storage furniture
Choosing the right storage furniture requires careful consideration. Many of the currently available materials produce by-products that can pollute and are harmful to the collections they house.
PDF · 143 KB
Suppliers and guide to selecting preservation materials
Info guide about preservation materials suppliers.
PDF · 227 KB
