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January 2017 brought exciting news to document restoration companies. A volunteer working with an archaeology team at Knole, a historic home in Kent, England, discovered two letters from the years 1603 and 1633 in the South Barracks attic. The letters, written on quality rag paper, offer a glimpse into 17th Century life as one contains a beautifully penned shopping list with items such as greenfish, pewter spoons, a fireshovel and frying pan. Paper has a rich history that spans continents, offering insight to human ingenuity and imagination. By understanding why some types of paper survived the test of time better than others, you can take steps to better preserve your own documents and reduce the need for archive restoration services.

The floods that hit southern Louisiana in 2016 were reportedly the worst natural disaster to affect the United States since 2012’s Hurricane Sandy. As rainfall levels reached record highs and rivers swelled, up to eight inches of floodwaters infiltrated the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Greenwell Springs Regional Branch. Out of the library’s 140,000-book collection, as many as 22,000 items were lost. Several required water-damaged-book restoration. Floods pose a threat to one of the greatest resources on the planet—books. Water damage in libraries can prove catastrophic, especially when wet documents don’t receive prompt attention.

There are more than 320,000 public libraries around the world. Adding to this figure are thousands of academic, government, research, museum, ecclesiastical, special topic, film, and home libraries. The largest libraries on the planet, such as the Library of Congress and British Library, house more than 15 million books, artifacts and archived materials each. A single incident of water damage in libraries can prove financially catastrophic, especially if the items affected are numerous, valuable or rare. When libraries pair climate control solutions with archival best practices and emergency preparedness, they reduce the need for water-damaged-book restoration and make a valuable investment in the institution’s future.

When Benjamin Franklin cleverly stated that the only certainties in life are death and taxes, he did not foresee the amount of paperwork that future generations of printing presses would produce. With time, file cabinets fill with documents that you will rarely need, but know are important to keep. Thankfully, modern technology has made it possible to reduce clutter by saving documents in digital formats that ensure easy accessibility, storage and document recovery. Knowing when to keep original files and when to shred them will help reduce clutter and make your document management efforts simpler.

Keeping your archives or stored documents in a temperature-controlled environment is a great first step toward protecting them from the harsh effects of the elements outdoors. If your area experiences seasonal changes or high humidity levels, an HVAC system might not be enough in regards to moisture and condensation control. Regardless of the environment in which you store documents—including files, books, photos and films—planning for seasonal humidity now helps prevent the need for mold remediation services in the future.