| One of the toughest challenges is the preservation of | | | | – at least in newspapers! |
| old newspapers. That’s because time, humidity and | | | | The best way to preserve newspapers is to store |
| sunlight are the arch enemy of newspapers. Not | | | | them in a flat open position. The reason for this is that |
| convinced? Try this simple experiment. Leave a copy | | | | newspapers tend to experience the most deterioration |
| of your local newspaper outside in the sunlight for just | | | | around the folds in the paper. The folds often become |
| an hour. It won’t take much longer than that for the | | | | brittle and yellowed with age. This is common, and |
| newspaper to show major yellowing and damage. | | | | expected over time, but storing the paper flat reduces |
| Some newspapers will deteriorate faster than others. | | | | the pressure on the folds thus cutting down on the |
| For instance, oddly enough newspapers made before | | | | level of deterioration you would find in the folds. |
| the late 1800’s often hold up better than more | | | | Constantly unfolding and closing a newspaper to view |
| current newspapers. The reason is simple, prior to that | | | | it, also harms the newspaper so this is yet another |
| date newspapers were often produced on paper that | | | | reason for storing them flat. |
| contained rag linen content rather than traditional | | | | If you use a plastic sleeve to preserve your |
| newsprint since they contained virtually no acid, | | | | newspapers, be sure to purchase one that is large |
| chemicals or wood pulp. The most common result of | | | | enough to hold the newspaper comfortably. Damage |
| exposing newspapers to sunlight, moisture or extreme | | | | often occurs when trying to squeeze newspapers into |
| change sin temperate is that they turn yellow, brown | | | | small sleeves. Also, as we mentioned earlier, never |
| or brittle. In our opinion here is no perfect way to stop | | | | laminate the front page of a newspaper – that |
| the deterioration of newspapers. Like the aging of | | | | immediately and drastically reduces the value of the |
| humans, time will take its toll regardless. However, with | | | | newspaper to collectors. |
| proper techniques you can slow the aging process | | | | |