How to preserve newspaper clippings
Make a copy for the scrapbook and keep the original separate, fully supported in a suitable folder or sleeve. Store it cool, dry and dark, and stop handling it if the paper starts to break.
The National Archives notes that most US newspapers since about 1850 were printed on ground wood pulp paper, which turns brittle, discoloured and acidic.
So there are two jobs: protect the original in storage, and use a copy for anything people will look at or handle.
Make a digital scrapbook
Add your photos and keepsakes in tbf scrapbook, then arrange them on the pages.
| Version | Where it goes | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Original clipping | Own sleeve or acid-free folder, in a box | Supports brittle paper and keeps its acid off other items |
| Full newspaper page | Flat, in a box larger than the sheet | Old newsprint breaks along folds |
| Master scan | Computer drive, plus a copy held by a relative | A second copy covers a failed drive |
| Print on acid-free paper | Paper scrapbook page | Can be glued and handled with no risk to the original |
| Scan on a page | Digital scrapbook | Sits beside photos without touching them |
| Framed copy | Wall or shelf | Light darkens the original |
| Clipping already stuck in an album | Photograph in place; ask a conservator before removal | Peeling or wetting it can tear the clipping and the page |
Copy it first
Scan or photograph the clipping while it is in its best state. The National Archives suggests a hand-held camera or a scanner that supports the whole sheet, with no overhang and no auto-feed.
Capture the masthead or date line too, or note the paper and date with the file. A clipping cut away from its date is hard to place later.
For a paper scrapbook, print the copy on acid-free paper. For a digital one, place the scan on the page.
House the original
Use a good-quality folder or box that fully encloses the clipping. The National Archives also describes polyester sleeves for handling brittle clippings separately from other material.
Keep clippings apart from letters and photographs. The National Archives warns that a clipping left in a book stains the page with its own outline, and that stain is permanent.
Do not slip sleeved clippings back into an album or book. The National Archives notes the added bulk can damage the binding.
Where to keep them
Keep the box in a cool, dry, dark place with stable conditions. Avoid hot lofts, damp cellars and positions near leaks or heaters.
Light darkens newsprint. Frame or pin up a copy and keep the original boxed.
Repairs to avoid
The National Archives says not to mend tears with glue or tape of any kind, and not to back-fold a creased sheet to flatten it. Stop if handling is breaking the paper.
If a clipping is already glued into an old album, copy it in place. Do not peel, soak or heat it to get it out; get conservation advice before altering the original.
- Taping a tear, even with clear tape
- Gluing the original on to a page
- Folding a full sheet to fit a smaller box
- Storing clippings loose inside a family Bible or book
Steps
Open and record
Unfold the clipping slowly without forcing creases. Note the paper's name, the date and the page if the clipping does not show them.
Scan both sides
Capture the front and back at full size, including any article on the reverse. Keep these scans as the master files.
Sleeve and box the original
Place the clipping in a suitable folder or sleeve larger than the paper, then in a well-fitting box. Keep fragments with it without applying tape or glue.
Use the copy on the page
Print the scan on acid-free paper for a paper book, or place the image on a digital page, and caption it with its source.
Questions
How do I stop newspaper clippings yellowing?
You can slow it, not stop it. Keep the original dark, cool and dry in an acid-free folder and handle a copy. Ask a conservator about anything valuable.
Can I glue a newspaper clipping into a scrapbook?
Glue a copy. The original can stain the page and whatever faces it, and the National Archives advises against glue on newsprint. Keep the original in a sleeve elsewhere.
Are polyester sleeves good for newspaper clippings?
The National Archives describes polyester sleeves for handling brittle clippings and separating them from other papers. Keep sleeved clippings out of books, where extra bulk can strain the binding.