Polish - does anybody in East Otter Tail speak, read, write or understand Polish anymore?
Shorthand - is there anybody around these parts who can read shorthand well enough to transcribe 60-year-old documents?
These were but a few of the questions and topics at a lively Perham session with a conservator from the Minnesota State Historical Society.
Preserving photos, organizing documents, storing archival materials, maintaining brass artifacts, and handling delicate antique garments were all discussed by a group of 20 area participants and Bob Herskovitz, chief conservator with the MHS.
People were invited to bring in historic photos, family heirlooms and other items, with Herskovitz providing advice. The event was hosted at the new meeting room at the "In Their Own Words" veterans museum.
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Among the more unique items were old "cylinder" records, that were manufactured for Thomas Edison-era record players. Perham's Mary Thomas brought two cylinders - one of which was a Teddy Roosevelt speech, dated to 1917.
How should you store artifacts like these, and photos and documents?
Cool and dry.
That recommendation applies to most historic items or heirlooms, said Herskovitz.
Acid-free materials, such as boxes and paper, should be used to wrap and store photos and documents.
Prior to 1850, paper was manufactured by processing rags, said Herskovitz. After 1850, as the demand for paper skyrocketed, new manufacturing methods produced paper from pulp wood. Pulp paper contained acid, and it becomes brittle with age.
Acid free boxes, envelopes and wrapping papers can be purchased to store books, documents and photos.
He does not recommend laminating, at least not for historic preservation.
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Any photos or documents that are displayed should be duplicates - not the originals, said Herskovitz.
Documents and photos that are rolled should be stored flat.
As a conservator, Kerskovitz does not rely on digital storage of historical items. Technologies and software become obsolete.
"How many computers have a five-and-a-half inch floppy drive anymore?" said Kerskovitz.
Digitizing is a great tool for reproducing information and turning materials into a practical form - but not for permanent record.
Scanning documents and photos does not deteriorate them. In fact, he encourages scanning photos and documents for use and display - then storing the originals for permanent record. The brief flash of light needed to scan will generally not damage items, said Kerskovitz. Light is an issue when it is prolonged, such as hanging a photo with exposure to the sun day in and day out.
As Chief Conservator, Kerskovitz essentially oversees storage and preservation of hundreds of thousands of documents and artifacts at the MHS headquarters.
For example, there are literally 80,000 rolls of microfilm of thousands upon thousands of newspapers... from hundreds upon hundreds of Minnesota communities... spanning more than 100 years.
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In fact, the Minnesota Historical Society, and other preservation groups, pay rent to store materials in a cave in Pennsylvania - because of its perfect climate control properties.
Herskovitz said it is his goal to make at least one visit to each county of the state with his preservation and storage presentation.
