The program for May 8 was presented by Mr. R. Bruce Arnold. 
 
 
Mr. Arnold generously offered to make available copies of his PowerPoint presentation to interested individuals. Contact him at brucearnld @aol.com to request the file. Mr. Arnold discussed paper, microfilm, and electronic devices, the three prevalent forms of storage media used in genealogy. 
 
Paper 
 
An oversight of the history of papermaking covered single sheet production in China through the French invention and English development of machines which could produce continuous rolls. 
 
 Mr. Arnold was a participant in a program which developed and validated ASTM test methods and standards to evaluate the stability of papers. These methods provide sound accelerated aging methods which reproduce the long term effects on paper of acid content, light and polluted air. The results of such standardized tests are used for valid predictions of paper stability regardless of paper composition. 
 
Sizing is required on paper to provide a surface suitable for ink. Until approximately 1790 the sizing used was not damaging to paper. When paper could be produced in large quantities, the industry turned to a sizing made from tree rosin and alum to meet the increased demand. This type of sizing becomes acidic when exposed to water vapor. It took 50 to 70 years to recognize the serious deterioration problem caused by the acidic sizing. By 1970 the industry switched to an alkaline sizing to solve the paper degradation problem. 
 
To halt acidic degradation, original papers can be placed between clean sheets of alkaline paper. To assure preservation of the text on such acidic paper, it is recommended that photocopies be made on alkaline paper. Another preservation option is a spray solution commercially available which can be applied to acidic papers to neutralize the acids. A pen type device is also available from vendors of archival supplies which, when passed over the surface of a piece of paper will indicate if the paper is acidic 
 
Lignin is a major component in trees. Lignin content in paper is sensitive to light with the result that exposed paper will yellow and darken. The discoloration of newspaper is a prime example. 
 
Pollutants in the atmosphere such as NO2, particularly where concentrated in today’s cities, deteriorate the strength of papers. Libraries are continually working to preserve their vast numbers of books and papers against atmospheric pollutants. UC Berkley has the premier model for document preservation today. 
 
The best practice for producing written information to be kept for generations is to use alkaline based, lignin free paper. For color fidelity, lignin free paper must be used. The user should be very aware that recycled paper generally contains lignin, and that the adhesive in Scotch brand type tape degrades paper. If sheet protectors are used, the premium archival type is composed of Mylar. Polyethylene protectors give off damaging substances. Commercial preservation services, Iron Mountain, Inc. among others, provide storage and management of paper and electronic records, film and sound assets. 
 
Microfilm 
 
Microfilm is used in the forms of reels, aperture cards and microfiche. Until 1990 acetate was the most common base material. Unfortunately acetate will eventually disintegrate by reacting with water to form acetic acid (vinegar). 
 
Three types of polyester based microfilm are used today: silver halide, Diazo and Vesicular. The silver halide microfilm is the best type for preservation purposes, but requires special equipment for reading. The Diazo film tends to fade over time with use in readers. The Vesicular film is easily scratched or stretched in use. 
 
When committing valuable material to microfilm it is important to evaluate the future availability of the required microfilm readers. 
 
Electronic 
 
The hard drive in your computer is basic storage for your electronic files. All important files should be backed up with one or more copies. Storage of these file copies on a separate device reduces the risk of loss from damage to one computer or hard drive. Four options for separate storage were identified and discussed. Information stored on each of these devices must be progressed as technology changes to assure the ability to read the data with updated software and hardware. 
 
1. Compact disks (CD) are thought to last about 25 years. The surface on the label side of the disk is more susceptible to damage than the shiny side. 
 
2. An external hard drive with storage capacity of up to 40 GB can be purchased for under $100. For security, portable drives can be stored in a location separate from the computer. 
 
3. A flash drive is small, portable and relatively inexpensive, with storage capacities up to 32 GB. It is about the size of a BIC lighter and connects directly to a USB port on a computer. 
 
4. Remote storage on servers accessed over the internet is offered by various commercial companies, such as Mozy (free to 20 GB), WinZip and Iron Mountain. 
 
Mr. Arnold recommends paper, properly selected and stored, as the most durable storage media available to today’s genealogist.