Scrapbooks & Albums

Please see our video on photographs for information on the care and handling of scrapbooks and albums.

Taking Care of Photographs
Sue Bove, Paper Conservator, New York State Archives

Running Time: 3 minutes
File Size: 15 MB

Display and Storage

• Shelve small and medium-sized scrapbooks and albums upright. If they are large, bulge open, or contain loose items, display or store them flat.
• If a scrapbook’s cover is loose, tie the book closed with linen or cotton tape.
• If individual items are loose or a scrapbook is damaged, store it in an acid-free box or wrap it in acid-free paper.

Care

• News clippings and other yellowed papers are highly acidic and may harm items on nearby pages. If you can safely remove these clippings from a scrapbook, photocopy them onto acid-free paper, put the copies in the book, and save the originals separately if they have handwritten information.
• If you can not remove acidic materials such as news clippings from a scrapbook, separate them from other items with sheets of acid-free paper or polyester film.
• Use only stable plastic or acid-free paper corners to reattach loose items. For all other repairs, seek professional advice.

Making a New Scrapbook or Album

• Select safe materials such as acid-free binders, pages, and paper corners and stable plastics for sleeves, pocket pages and stamp mounts.
• Photocopy newspaper clippings onto acid-free paper.
• Cutting original photographs or other heirlooms into decorative shapes diminishes their value. Preserve the original and make a copy to cut up.