Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials

Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials, by James M. Reilly, is the result of a grant sponsored by the University of Rochester Libraries on behalf of the New York State Comprehensive Research Libraries and funded by the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials, part of the Division of Library Development in the New York State Library.

Over 95% of all photographs and films produced since the early 1960s have been in color, and billions of new color photographs are being made annually. Unfortunately, many of these materials are fading at an alarming rate. The Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials, a 48-page book accompanied by a wheel of environmental conditions (a kind of circular slide rule), explains how and why color images fade, why they need special storage, and what can be done to make them last as long as possible. The Color Guide provides a generic overview of the stability of today's color photographic materials. It is the product of one of the most extensive accelerated-aging projects ever done for the purpose of learning how storage conditions affect image fading.

To make the best decisions about storing color photography, preservation managers must understand and be able to quantify the relationship between storage conditions and dye fading. The Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials can serve as the basis not only for informed storage decisions, but also for discussions with architects, engineers, administrators, donors, and budget officers. The adequacy and cost-effectiveness of present or planned storage environments can be evaluated in concrete terms. If a collection can be assigned a monetary value, then it is possible to assess in financial terms the impact of storing a collection at a particular condition. Preservation planners can now justify their activities in a way that budget planners can understand.

The Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials will find use around the world in libraries, archives, museum, and cinema collections for many years to come.

Order Information

The cost of this publication is $20.00. Order form

Checks must be made payable to The University of the State of New York. Credit card orders can be placed through the Image Permanence Institute by calling 716-475-5199. The cost through IPI is $25.00 plus $3.00 for postage and shipping.

Last Updated: October 21, 2009 -- asm; for questions or comments contact Barbara Lilley