How to Preserve Old Newspaper

Preserving Original Newspaper

• 1

  Use clean white cotton gloves when handling the newspaper or clippings. The acid that is on our fingertips smears and removes the ink, as well as aids in breaking down the fibers in the newspaper.

• 2

  Cut out the newspaper clippings that you want preserved. Place the clippings between two clear plastic sheets made from polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene. Other plastics contain high acidic compounds that break down the printed inks and paper that the newspaper is printed on. Do not laminate the clipping. Chemicals in the plastic speed up the deterioration of the newspaper.

• 3

  Place a solid white paper towel or sheets of white acid-free paper between the layers of the newspaper if you preserve the whole newspaper. This helps control moisture.

• 4

  Store the newspaper and clippings in a dark, dry, cool place, in acid-free folders or acid-free boxes. All light, whether it is bright, low or florescent, causes faded newspaper, and exposure to moisture causes the paper to break down.

Making a Copy of the Original

• 5

  Make a copy of the newspaper clipping using a scanner. Save the scanned copy to a folder on your computer. With the newspaper saved as a digital file, you can make a printed copy when needed without damaging the original.

• 6

  Take the newspaper to a store that does copying, if you want the whole page of the newspaper copied. The store can print images in actual size, reduce the size or save it to your preferred digital storage device. Fees for this service start at $10 and go up according to what you want.

• 7

  Store the original by following the steps in the section, "Preserving Original Newspapers." This preserves the newspaper for many years to come.