Make sure everything is done right
Time capsules are not an exact science, but churches should follw some rules
if members want items to be well preserved, archivists say.
Make sure everything is done right
Time capsules are not an exact science, but churches should follw some rules
if members want items to be well preserved, archivists say.
An airtight, fireproof container and proper packaging materials
are two keys, explains Cheryl Doty, archivist for the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
“If you are putting your items in something, make sure
it is airtight and it wont rust,” the Kentucky Baptist worker says.
“If there is any dampness, youre going to have to be careful that
it wont rust.”
Glass containers run the risk of breaking or melting in a fire,
Doty points out. “Finding a fireproof box would be the best thing, probably,
then maybe sealing around it with something,” she says.
The choice of paper for printed materials is an important element
for a time capsule as well.
“Make sure it is low-acid paper,” says Glen McAninch,
branch manager for technology analysis and support with the Kentucky Department
for Libraries and Archives.
Rag content paper is a good choice, but it is getting harder
to find, he says. “A high-quality bond paper would be appropriate. Use
one with a low acidity content.”
Doty and McAninch offer a variety of suggestions for time capsules,
including:
Photographs. Black and white photos do not fade as much
as color, McAninch notes. “Color photos are going to fade within 10 to
15 years,” he says. “Institutions that have very highly-valued photos
do color separations so that those individual colors will hold up over a longer
time. … Thats just not practical for a church or smaller organization.”
Archival quality photo sleeves can be purchased easily to preserve
photographs, Doty continues.
“Photos should have information on the back, so you can
identify the people and the event in the photos,” she notes. “Without
information, they are just lost.”
Information should be written in pencil if possible, Doty says.
If a pencil will not write on the back of a photo, persons should use a ball
point pen and write around the edges of the back of the photo, she says. Persons
should be careful not to make an indentation with the pen, she adds.
Also, when a person puts the photos in a sleeve, a piece of
paper with pertinent information may be inserted as well, the Kentucky Baptist
worker explains.
Packaging and storage. Doty recommends that each artifact
be enclosed in a polyethylene or Mylar bag or in a box to ensure that dissimilar
materials are isolated from each other. Avoid folding paper because folds can
cause breaks as documents age, she says.
Metal objects should be free of visible corrosion and in sound
physical condition, Doty continues. Resist the temptation to polish or apply
protective coatings, because their long-term effectiveness is often unknown,
especially in a closed environment, she adds. Metal can be degreased with acetone
to remove fingerprints, which can cause corrosion and then handled with clean
cotton gloves, Doty says.
Even clasps should be carefully considered. When one church
uncovered its 80-year-old time capsule, a staple had rusted away, leaving a
stained hole in the three-page document. “Remove all staples,” she
advises. “paperclips, unless they are stainless steel or plastic, should
be avoided. Never use rubber bands. They deteriorate and leave marks.”
Temperature and humidity. A consistent temperature and
humidity is the most important factor for preservation, but that usually is
not a problem for items buried in a cornerstone or underground, Doty says.
“Ideally, under controlled conditions, your humidity should
be 45 percent to 55 percent and a temperature around 55 to 65 degrees,”
she says. “When it comes to general storage of historical documents, we
tell people not to store documents in basements and in attics. Unfortunately,
that is where most people store stuff.”
Originals or copies. Laminating is a popular way to
preserve items, but it is among the worst things for a historical document,
Doty explains.
“Laminating pretty much destroys the historical value,
but if you send an original off to have it properly preserved that would cost
a fortune. I would just make good clean copies, so when the original does deteriorate
I would have a clean copy. It wouldnt be the original, but it would maintain
the historical value of the information.”
Rather than trying to preserve old newspapers in their original
form in a time capsule, Doty advises making quality copies that will be on new
paper and last longer.
“You dont want the newspapers mixed in with anything
else because the acid in the newspaper will cause other materials to deteriorate,”
she explains.
Electronic files. McAninch does not advise placing computer
files in a time capsule. “The technology will change. I wouldnt think
that any technology you put in there now would be readable in 50 or 100 years.”
Doty agrees. “If you have 8-track tapes, what good are
they without an 8-track tape player?”
Church history primer. Doty notes that it is easy to
get excited about writing a history during church centennials, time capsule
burials or other important milestones.
But a church history is more easily compiled a little at a time, she says.
Thus, Doty advises local churches to appoint a historian who can actively keep
up with month-to-month activities. “I would like to see everyone start
writing history, even if it is just a little something each year,” she
states. “Keep a binder with articles or maybe a program from an activity
and add something each month or year. If your church has been around for decades,
talk to older members and see what they remember.”