From Fragile to Forever: Tips for Saving Old Newspaper Clippings

Preserving Your Family’s Newspaper Clippings

If you’re like many genealogy enthusiasts, you likely have a many old newspaper clippings that chronicle your family’s history. From birth announcements and wedding notices to obituaries and news articles, these fragile pieces of paper offer fascinating glimpses into the lives of your ancestors. But as time takes its toll, these precious clippings can fade, crumble, and deteriorate. That’s why it’s crucial to take steps to preserve them for future generations.

By properly storing the original clippings and creating digital copies, you can ensure that your family’s legacy lives on. Here are some tips and best practices for preserving, digitizing, and organizing your family’s newspaper clippings.

Preparation

Newspaper clippings are delicate and can easily be damaged by improper handling and storage. To keep your original clippings in the best possible condition, follow these guidelines before digitizing them:

  • Clean Workspace: Ensure your workspace is clean and free of dust. This helps prevent dirt from damaging the clippings or interfering with the scanning process.
  • Handle with Care: Use clean, dry hands or wear cotton gloves to avoid transferring oils and dirt to the fragile paper. Oils from your skin can cause long-term damage.
  • Flatten Clippings: Gently flatten any folded or creased clippings using a clean, dry weight, such as a heavy book. This makes them easier to scan and prevents additional creasing during the digitization process.
Scanning

While proper storage can help extend the life of your original newspaper clippings, digitizing them is the best way to preserve their content for the long term. Creating digital copies also makes it easy to share the clippings and the stories they contain with family members near and far.

Follow these best practices for scanning and digitizing your newspaper clippings:

  • Use a Flatbed Scanner: Flatbed scanners provide the best results for delicate and aged paper. Avoid feed scanners, which can damage the clippings by bending or tearing them.
  • Resolution: Scan at a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) for clear and detailed images. Higher resolutions, such as 600 dpi, are ideal for capturing fine details.
  • Scan the clippings in color, even if they are black and white. This will capture any discoloration or aging of the paper, which can be important for dating the clippings.
  • File Format: Save your scans in TIFF format for archival quality, as TIFF files are uncompressed and preserve the most detail. For easier sharing and smaller file sizes, you can save additional copies in JPEG format.
Organize Digital Files

Once you’ve digitized your newspaper clippings, it’s important to organize them in a way that makes sense to you and future generations. Consider these strategies:

  • Create folders for each person, family branch, event type, year, or location mentioned in the clippings. This allows you to quickly find relevant articles.
  • Name the digital files descriptively, including the names of the people mentioned, the date of the clipping, the name of the newspaper, and the event or topic. For example, “Smith_Family_Reunion_1950.jpg” or “Johnson_Obituary_1935.tif.” This will make it easier to find and identify the files later.
  • Store multiple backup copies of your digital files in different locations, such as an external hard drive and a cloud storage service. This protects against data loss due to hardware failure or other issues.
Proper Storage Environment

To preserve the physical newspaper clippings, store them in an environment that minimizes damage:

  • Store in a cool, dry place with a stable temperature and humidity level. Avoid attics, basements, and other areas prone to dampness, extreme temperatures, or temperature fluctuations. Temperature and Humidity: Keep the storage area cool and dry, ideally around 65-70°F (18-21°C) with 40-50% relative humidity.
  • Avoid Light: Store clippings in a dark place, as light exposure, especially from sunlight or fluorescent bulbs, can cause fading and brittleness over time.
Archival Materials

Using the right materials for storage can greatly extend the life of your newspaper clippings:

  • Avoid folding, creasing, or bending the clippings, as this can cause permanent damage. Instead, store them flat in folders or envelopes. Use acid-free and lignin-free folders and boxes to prevent chemical reactions that can cause paper to yellow and become brittle.
  • Place the folders or envelopes containing the clippings in archival-quality boxes made of acid-free materials. Avoid cardboard boxes, as they contain acid that can accelerate the deterioration of the newspaper.
  • For added protection, consider placing each clipping in an archival-quality plastic sleeve before storing it in a folder. Look for sleeves made of uncoated polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene. This protects them from handling, dust, and pollutants. Avoid PVC sleeves, as they can release harmful chemicals over time.
  • Interleaving: Place acid-free tissue paper between clippings if storing them in stacks. This prevents them from sticking together and provides additional protection against abrasion and environmental factors.
  • Never laminate, glue, tape, or otherwise adhere anything directly to the original newspaper clippings. Over time, adhesives can discolor, stain, and damage the paper.
Sharing Your Archive

Sharing your digital archive with family members and fellow genealogists can be rewarding:

  • Use Storied to link the digital clippings to the appropriate people in your family tree and share with family members. 
  • Social Media: Share interesting finds on social media platforms or family history groups to engage others in your research. This can also help you connect with distant relatives who may have additional information or clippings to contribute.
Conclusion

By following these best practices for preserving, digitizing, and organizing your family’s newspaper clippings, you’ll create a valuable resource for genealogical research that can be passed down for generations to come. These snippets of your family’s past are precious pieces of a larger puzzle – one that tells the unique story of your ancestors and their place in history.

So dust off those old newspaper clippings and start preserving them today. Your family’s legacy is worth protecting, and with a little effort, you can ensure that these irreplaceable records of the past are never lost to the ravages of time. Happy preserving!

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I laminate my newspaper clippings to preserve them?

No, laminating, gluing, taping, or otherwise adhering anything directly to the original newspaper clippings should be avoided. Over time, adhesives can discolor, stain, and damage the paper.

Why should I scan clippings in color even if they are black and white?

Scanning in color captures any discoloration or aging of the paper, which can be important for dating the clippings and preserving their original appearance.