Letters ca.1880s

I have been cleaning letters from the 1880s. Many of these were folded, and like the rolled letters, present their own set of problems when we try to place them into folders. When paper has been folded and stored for long periods of time, it can become stiff, and when unfolded, it can be difficult to get it to lay flat because it remains bent along the fold lines (this is to varying degrees, depending on the thickness of the paper). Some of the previously folded letters will need to be placed in the humidification chamber (which is working so wonderfully for us) in order to get the paper to lay flat without forcing or putting strain it, which can lead to breakage along the folds.

Out of the 80-plus letters I've cleaned in this small bunch, only one separated along a weak fold. As we continue to process this collection, we will place this letter (and other fragile or problematic items) into clear sleeves that will secure the material while making the content available to researchers without fear of further damage.

--Traci