Tutorial: Archival Storage of Slides and Negatives

Great! You finally scanned all of Dad's slides from when you were a kid. Job well done! Or is it?

How are you storing those slides? You should take a bit of time to store them properly now so that they will still be around years from now. Here are some tips.

Film hates moisture, heat and light. Moisture and heat can break down film materials and promote the growth of fungus and mildew that eat away at the film emulsion and destroy slide mounts made of paperboard, plastic or glass.

To reduce the risk of damage slides and negatives should be stored in a cool, dry environment. Color films ideally are stored at 50°F or lower. B&W films are a bit more forgiving; they should be stored at about 70°F. All films should be stored in metal enclosures, if possible. This minimizes the effect of emissions from deteriorating wood or paperboard and the lacquer, dye or paint that may have been used. Film should be stored at low humidity, as higher humidity makes damage more probable, particularly from mold and fungi.

Many retailers sell polypropylene protective covers. These pages are an effective way to minimize damage to your slides or negatives. They are also convenient - they can be put into 3-ring binder boxes for easy access and protection from light and dust. You should minimize handling and removal from the covers and cases, since this can lead to scratching. Investing a few dollars in a pair of cotton film gloves to wear while putting your films into storage (to prevent getting dirt and fingerprints onto the films) is a good idea. A can of compressed air can be used to remove loose dust and dirt.

Storage of slides is generally easier than negatives. Like negatives, there are binder pages available for storage. But the easier way to store these films is in archival cases made of paperboard or, better yet, metal (such as those from Logan). They are not very expensive, they protect slides very well, they are incredibly easy to use, and they take up far less space than those old carousels that you have been storing the slides in for years.

Here are some more sources for information on archival film storage and materials for storage:

• Printfile - A good site outlining the needs of archiving. This company produces archival storage materials that are available at many retailers.
• National Film Preservation Board - Library of Congress website on film storage and preservation.
• Adorama - A great on-line retail source for archival storage materials (cases, album pages, etc.), including metal slide cases from Logan and a nice store brand. Another good source for materials is B&H Photo.

Questions or comments? Please let us know.