What Do You Want to Preserve?
This section contains expert yet practical advice on preserving a variety of materials: photographs, negatives, and film; paper and parchment; books and scrapbooks, digital and electronic media; and audio and video tapes and motion pictures.
You can contact preservation@nara.gov with general questions on preventive care. If you need the services of a professional conservator, the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) maintains a Conservation Services Referral System and provides helpful Guidelines for Selecting a Conservator.
Photographic Materials
Photographs
- Storing Photographic Prints
- Photo Albums
- Captioning Photographs
- Digitizing Photo Collections
- Framing and Displaying Photographs
- Copying Historic Photographs
Negatives
- What is the Best Way to Store Negatives and Transparencies?
- Technical Requirements for the Duplication of Black and White Negatives
- Glass Plate Negatives
Microfilm & Microfiche
Paper & Parchment
Books and Scrapbooks
Digital & Electronic Media
- Guidelines for Digitizing Archival Materials for Electronic Access
- Digitizing Photo Collections
- Digital File Types
- Digital Preservation Resources