How should I preserve newsprint pages from old literary magazines?
Here’s what my manual at work says regarding preservation of newsprint (from Preservation of Library and Archival Materials): Much of the newsprint produced after 1840 is made of paper pulp that contains lignin and other impurities, and its long-term preservation is difficult at best. While it is possible to alkalize (deacidify) newsprint to retard its deterioration, this is often not practical because it will still continue to deteriorate at a relatively rapid rate. Also, alkalization after newsprint has become yellow and brittle will not make it white and flexible again. Photocopying and microfilming are the most practical preservation options for collections of clippings. All photocopying should be done on low-lignin, buffered paper using an electronic copier with heat fused images. Newsclippings that must be retained should be treated and then physically separated from better quality papers in a folder or in an enclosure made of polyester film. Whenever we receive bound volumes of
