Caring for Historical Documents: What Not To Do

Tip #1: Do not use rubber bands.

Rubber bands can bend and tear the documents they are holding together. As they age, rubber bands can become sticky and attach to other nearby documents. Eventually, rubber bands become hard. Trying to remove a hard rubber band stuck to a document can cause breakage and staining.

This is the end result:

Damage to an envelope caused by a rubber band. MSS 07-52 Barnett Brothers Mercantile Company Business Records (currently in processing).

It is fairly common for us to find stacks of documents, particularly from the early twentieth century, held together this way. If you are caring for documents of your own, try to remove any rubber bands you encounter.

Contributed by Stephanie Bayless, Manuscripts Department. Suggested and photographed by Shirley Schuette, Manuscripts Department.