Preserving Historical Handwritten Documents: Methods And Challenges

Historical handwritten documents provide invaluable insights into past events, people, and cultures. As primary sources created in the time period being studied, they offer a direct connection to the past that cannot be achieved through secondary sources. Preserving these fragile documents is crucial for maintaining our understanding of history.

Handwritten letters, diaries, government records, and other manuscripts offer a window into daily life, relationships, political developments, and more (The Importance of Preserving Historical Archives, 2023). Their authenticity and intimacy provide texture that gets lost in history books. They reveal the personalities, voices, and perspectives of people in the past in their own words.

Additionally, handwritten documents often contain details not recorded elsewhere. They capture informal conversations, personal thoughts, and mundane moments that official accounts omit. Without preserving the original sources, our historical record would be incomplete.

Causes of Damage and Deterioration

Handwritten historical documents are susceptible to damage and deterioration from a variety of environmental factors such as light, humidity, and temperature. According to the National Archives (Paper-Based Records), light damage is one of the most common causes of deterioration. Exposure to ultraviolet and visible light, whether natural or artificial, can cause paper documents to fade and discolor over time. High humidity can also damage historical documents by promoting the growth of mold and mildew. Fluctuations in humidity may cause paper documents to warp or cockle. High temperature combined with high humidity accelerates the rates of chemical deterioration reactions. The Postal Museum notes several other causes of deterioration including physical force, water, pests, pollutants, and contamination (Agents of Deterioration). Careful environmental monitoring and control is key to preserving historical handwritten documents.

Physical Preservation Methods

Proper storage, handling, and display are essential for physically preserving historical handwritten documents. Documents should be stored in acid-free boxes and folders made from materials like high-quality paper and cardboard, polypropylene, or polyester (NARA Preservation Strategies). These inert materials help prevent acid damage over time. Documents should not be stored in materials that contain acids, like wood, polymer sleeves, or lower-quality cardboard or paper.

Ideal storage conditions are at a stable temperature around 68°F and 45-50% relative humidity. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity can accelerate document deterioration (Caring for Your Paper Documents). Direct sunlight and UV light exposure should also be avoided. Documents should be handled carefully with clean hands, and documents showing signs of fragility or damage should be repaired by a professional conservator whenever possible.

For display, documents should be framed behind UV-filtered glass or plexiglass, rotated periodically to spread light exposure evenly, and displayed for limited periods of time. Proper lighting, environmental conditions, and handling procedures are critical for successful long-term physical preservation.

Digitization

Digitization involves converting handwritten historical documents into digital formats through scanning or photography. This allows the documents to be preserved, searched, and accessed more easily while protecting the originals from further damage through handling. Scanners capture high-resolution images of documents, while digital cameras using copy stands can also produce high-quality photographs for digitization. Both methods allow fragile documents to be handled minimally.

Benefits of digitization include improved accessibility, ability to make copies without contacting originals, optical character recognition for searchability, and digital enhancement or restoration. Digitization also facilitates long-term preservation and backup as digital files can be replicated and stored securely in multiple locations. However, care must be taken to use lossless formats like TIFF for master copies. Metadata and consistent file naming conventions also help keep digitized collections organized.

Overall, digitization enables wider access to historical documents for both scholars and the public while reducing risk to fragile originals. It is a crucial aspect of preserving handwritten documents for future generations.

Transcription

Transcribing handwritten historical documents is a critical way to preserve and make the information accessible, but it can be challenging. According to the National Archives, transcribing these documents accurately requires patience and practice. It is very time intensive work that relies heavily on human effort rather than technology. Transcribers must decipher difficult handwriting styles and ink blots, faded text, and unfamiliar terminology and spelling. However, transcribing can help unlock history and reveal aspects of the records not immediately apparent. As noted by FamilySearch, including a transcription creates a satisfactory record that allows continued access even if the original document becomes too fragile over time.

Preservation of Paper

Paper documents are susceptible to damage over time from exposure to light, heat, humidity, and acids within the paper itself. Proper preservation is key to extending the life of paper materials.

One important preservation technique is deacidification, which neutralizes acids in paper that cause it to deteriorate faster. This can be done by applying chemical solutions to paper or using deacidification sprays. Special alkaline paper and acid-free storage materials also help limit acid damage (How to Preserve Historical Documents: The Best Storage).

Tears and other physical damage to paper documents should be repaired by specialists using archival techniques. This may involve mending tears with special adhesive tapes or paper fibers. Fragile or brittle paper can be encapsulated between sheets of polyester to prevent further damage.

Properly caring for the paper itself extends the usable life of documents and preserves them for future generations.

Preservation of Ink

One of the main challenges with preserving historical handwritten documents is the degradation and fading of ink over time. Iron gall ink, commonly used for manuscripts and documents from the medieval period through the 19th century, is especially vulnerable to fading and spreading.

According to the National Archives in the UK, iron gall ink contains a high amount of acid which causes the ink to “burn” into the paper. Over time, this acid breaks down the cellulose structure of the paper and leads to fading and spreading of the ink (source).

Unfortunately, there is no way to fully restore the original ink on historical documents. However, methods like creating high resolution scans and digital copies can help restore legibility and preserve the documents (source). Maintaining proper temperature, humidity, and light levels can also slow down degradation of ink.

Challenges

Preserving historical handwritten documents presents numerous challenges in terms of time, cost, and expertise required. Transcribing and digitizing these materials is very labor-intensive and time-consuming. According to the Massachusetts Historical Society, processing a large manuscript collection can take an archivist years to arrange, describe, and make available for research (Behind the Scenes: Challenges in Processing | Beehive). The delicate nature of the documents also means that preservation efforts must be conducted slowly and carefully by trained specialists.

There are considerable costs associated with properly storing, handling, and digitizing historical documents. Archival supplies, customized storage materials, climate and pest control, imaging equipment, and staff training and salaries all add up quickly. Many institutions have insufficient funding and must make difficult choices regarding which collections receive priority attention. Grant funding helps defray expenses but does not fully cover the high costs involved.

Preservation also requires specific expertise in areas like conservation, digitization, metadata standards, and more. Locating and retaining personnel with this specialized knowledge presents an ongoing struggle, especially for smaller institutions. Collaborating with other organizations can help pool resources and talent. However, the limited supply of qualified professionals poses a constraint on preservation initiatives.

Case Studies

There are several notable examples of successful preservation projects for historical handwritten documents:

The National Archives has an extensive preservation program to protect the founding documents of the United States. Using a variety of techniques like climate control, archival housing, and digitization, they have preserved documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The Papers of Abraham Lincoln project transcribed and digitized over 90,000 documents handwritten by Lincoln. By making high-quality scans and transcripts available online, this ensures universal access to Lincoln’s writings while protecting the fragile originals.

The Dead Sea Scrolls contain some of the oldest existing Biblical texts, preserved for over 2,000 years in clay jars in desert caves. A massive preservation effort in the 1950s halted deterioration and allowed the scrolls to be safely unfurled, translated, and displayed.

Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters remained largely unpublished during her lifetime. After her death, her family’s careful preservation allowed this literary treasure trove to be edited, published, and appreciated around the world.

These projects demonstrate how proper preservation techniques like gentle handling, climate control, archival storage, limited light exposure, and digitization can successfully protect handwritten documents for current and future generations.

Conclusion

The preservation of historical handwritten documents is crucial for understanding our shared heritage and culture. As the past fades, these relics become more precious. However, deterioration due to age, mishandling, and environmental factors threaten these irreplaceable records. Ongoing preservation efforts are essential.

Physical methods like climate control, protective housing, deacidification, and gentle handling can prolong manuscripts’ lifespan. Digitization backs up information and increases access while protecting originals. Transcription and annotation open collections to new audiences. However, challenges remain. Preservation is expensive, time-consuming, and ever-continuing. Balancing conservation needs and public access presents quandaries. Still, the value of preserving written history for posterity makes persevering worthwhile.

As stewards of the past, archives, libraries, museums, and collectors must persist in their mission. Supporting conservation research, adopting best practices, securing funding, and raising awareness are key. With dedication and care, the voices from history can continue speaking to us. But without vigilance, they risk falling silent. Our shared cultural heritage deserves preservation so that future generations may also hear its message.