Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Megan Brakob Narvey from the Minnesota State Historical Society delivers a presentation on preservation.

NEW ULM — Brown County Historical Society hosted a crash course on how to preserve collections, heirlooms, and other valuable items.

Megan Brakob Narvey from the Minnesota State Historical Society visited BCHS’s annex Thursday to offer tips and techniques for preserving items.

Narvey works as an outreach conservator for MHS. She works with individuals but also other organizations and museums throughout the state on how to conserve collections over the long term.

Narvey took questions from visitors on how to preserve items, but first a breakdown of the common methods of deterioration.

Water damage is one of the more common deterioration methods. Narvey said water damage is especially common in Minnesota. She said most people will encounter some form of water damage to items. The damage could be from leaks, floods or condensation. Water can cause a variety of damage including physical damage, staining, promoting corrosion and mold.

Narvey said the most important way to water damage is to avoid storing items in attics and basements. She said water typically infiltrates a home through an attic or basement first. It is also possible for a leak in the attic or basement to go unnoticed. She recommends important items in the main living area of the home. Home maintenance can help protect against water infiltration, but placing items in boxes, frames, or display cases can also offer protection. Archive boxes can protect documents from water.

“This gives you a layer of protection and more notice to help save your stuff,” Narvey said.

Light damage is one of the hardest to protect against. Narvey said light damage is cumulative and irreversible. A quilt faded by light will not regain color if put away in storage for a month.

“The best thing you can do is be conscious of how much light you are exposing something to,” she said. “At the same time, we don’t want to put things in the dark forever, because we want to look at things and enjoy them. It is a balancing act.”

Narvey recommended everyone switch to LED light bulbs. These bulbs have no ultraviolet light, which causes the most harmful effect on items. Sunlight produces UV light. Keep items out of direct sunlight.

Pollutants can cause damage through gasses or fine particles. Narvey warned there are indoor furnishing items that can cause pollution damage. PVC material should not be used for storage because when it deteriorates it produces an acid, dissolving items. There are some stores that sell protective sleeves made of PVC.

“You have to be very cautious when buying materials for your collection,” Narvey said. “Look at what they are actually made from.”

Narvey said dissociation is the most unusual method of deterioration. Dissociation is the loss of information or loss of the object itself. This happens when an item is misplaced or paperwork connected with the item is lost. Photographs stored in a digital format could be lost if the format becomes obsolete.

Narvey said labeling items is the best way to prevent dissociation. This includes photographs. Write on the back of the photograph to identify everyone in the photo, where and when it was taken. An inventory of items could also help.

Record stories of family heirlooms to help remember why these items are important.

Narvey answered several questions about how to store photos. She recommended boxes. It also helps to place photos in a sleeve.

“Photos have a tendency to stick together,” she said. “If you have photos in a sleeve, they won’t stick together in a pile.”

Plastic and paper sleeves are available. Narvey said she trusts the paper sleeves as they tend to be safer for photos. There are safe plastic sleeves that are safe for storage.

Saving digital copies of photos was also recommended. Narvey suggested using flash drives to store digital photos, saying it was a low-cost storage option and a stable format compared to a CD or DVD.

The presentation was recorded by New Ulm Cable Access Television and will be broadcast at a later date.