It is amazing the stories and wisdom we can discover in our family’s treasured books, documents and photographs. Passing these objects down from one generation to another is essential to mapping our family histories. The steps we take to care for our family heirlooms is key to their preservation. This article is part of a series by the Preservation and Conservation Laboratory, Heritage Library Division, to provide guidelines on preserving family heirlooms.   What Does “Hou...

The work of the Preservation and Conservation Laboratory ranges from bookbinding and treatment to environmental control and monitoring to outreach and education. Whether big or small, specialised devices and equipment are needed for many of our jobs or tasks. The right tools are the backbone of completing our mission of preserving and conserving our nation's history. This series begins with a behind-the-scenes look at the tools used in the Preservation and Conservation Laboratory. Docu...

Each family is as unique as the stories and heirlooms passed down from one generation to another. You may be surprised by how much you learn about your family’s history when you explore your treasured books, documents, certificates and photographs. Caring for these objects is a key part of ensuring the preservation of our family history. This article is the first in a series by the Preservation and Conservation Laboratory, Heritage Library Division, which will provide guidelines on preserv...

The Heritage Library Division recognizes that the prevalence of smart phones with high quality cameras and affordably priced digital cameras has enabled ordinary persons to capture a wide variety of photographs in digital format.  In order to preserve this information for future generations, we will like to provide you with some useful tips to ensure that your digital photographs remain accessible in the future.   Photographs and their appeal Photographs have long been establi...