Scrapbooks and Albums

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 cannot 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.