Whether you’re archiving full newspapers with headlines from major historical events or preserving newspaper clippings of family memories such as births and weddings, it’s crucial that you save newspapers properly to prevent damage, fading, and disintegration. Here’s how to store newspapers the right way.
How to Prepare for Newspaper Preservation
Before you can dive in to storing your newspapers, some preparation is necessary—for yourself, your workspace, and the papers.
Clean Hands & Prep Work Station
Wash and thoroughly dry your hands before handling newsprint, and ensure you have a clean, spacious work surface away from crumbs, beverages, and pets. If your newspaper is old or slightly damaged, it may help to wear nitrile or white cotton gloves for extra protection—just know that your movements will need to be slower and more purposeful to avoid further damage to the paper.
Clear Newspaper of Debris
Remove any staples from newspapers and clippings, then gently lay them flat. If the newspaper is generally in good condition, use a document cleaning pad to delicately clean the surface to remove as much dirt, dust, oil, and other debris as possible. If the newspaper you want to save is already fragile, you should contact a newspaper conservator to help save your artifact without causing further damage.
Scan or Copy the Original Newspaper
To preserve newspapers and clippings, create digital copies before storing the originals—as a digital version won’t degrade over time. While scanning full newspaper pages may require dividing them into sections for readability, tools like full-sized scanners or document-scanning apps can help with this process. High-quality printed copies or reprints are another excellent option, especially since many newspaper companies offer downloadable versions—and resources like Newspapers.com provide access to millions of pages. Ultraviolet light, found in sunlight and many artificial lights, is extremely damaging to newsprint and causes rapid disintegration, so instead of displaying your artifact, display a copy of your newspaper that’s printed on higher-quality paper than newsprint—such as archival-quality paper or acid-free card stock.
How to Store Newspapers
Once you’ve taken the necessary preparation steps, you can begin preserving and storing your newspapers. Follow these tips to maintain the quality of your newspapers and clippings overtime!
Gather Storage Supplies to Mitigate Acid Migration
Tons of materials contain acid, and it easily transfers to newsprint and quickly disintegrates it. Preventing acid migration is one of the most essential parts of saving newspapers. Use acid-free materials and gentle storage methods to preserve your newspapers, and avoid lamination, tape, glue, and rubber bands. Depending on whether you’re preserving newspaper clippings or full newspapers, these are the supplies you need:
Supplies Needed for Newspaper Storage Prep
- Acid-free card stock
- Appropriate newspaper storage box (e.g., an acid-free archival box like a drop front box or metal edge box—an archival binder is a short-term storage option if cost is a concern)
- Archival-quality polythene pockets, archival sleeves, or acid-free mylar envelopes
- Buffered tissue
- Desiccant canister (for harmful moisture removal)
- Document box spacers (fills extra space to provide anti-slip support)
If you’re storing newspaper clippings, your archival sleeves will be smaller, and you’ll need card stock inserts to provide a rigid support without adhesive for smaller sections of newsprint.
Supplies Needed to Properly Label Newspapers in Storage
- Acid-free labels
- Archival-quality pen
- No. 2 pencil
Supplies Needed to Display Newspaper Copies
- Acid-free matboard
- Framing supplies
- UV-filtering glass/acrylic
Pack Newspapers in Selected Approved Newspaper Boxes
The best way to preserve old newspapers is to store them in acid-free archival newspaper boxes. These specialized boxes also help keep light, dust, moisture, and other damaging materials off your sensitive newsprint. When packing the newspaper, each page should be stored flat or folded in an archival-quality sleeve. Place the archival sleeves containing your newspapers inside of the box without overstuffing it. It’s safe to label the outside of the box or news clipping’s card stock for reference—just ensure you use archival labels, a no. 2 pencil, or an archival-quality pen to mitigate acid.
Store Newspapers in Suitable Conditions
The environment you save newspapers in is critical so they don’t fade, disintegrate, or grow mold. They need a dry, cool location, preferably between 60 and 70 degrees. The best way to preserve old newspapers is in dark surroundings with a stable temperature and low humidity—here are the top places to keep your newspapers stored.
Store Newspapers in Your Home
An organized hall closet could work well for newspaper storage! Ensure you keep stored newspapers away from heat sources such as radiators and vents. While a basement, attic, or garage can come to mind as storage locations, their temperature and humidity levels fluctuate too much and likely cause newspapers to break down faster. Those areas of a home are also more likely to flood or be susceptible to rainwater, which immediately ruins newspapers.
Keep Newspapers in a Storage Unit
The ideal conditions for preserving collectibles or keepsakes like newspapers are in a climate-controlled storage unit because they’re dark, maintain stable temperatures, and can help keep humidity to a minimum. That’s especially true if you can get a humidity-controlled storage unit. Since newsprint is affected by so many different conditions—including air pollutants, UV light, and more—renting a climate-controlled storage unit is one of the best solutions for storing newspapers!
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Wondering how to preserve newspapers or clippings of significant events? Extra Space Storage has facilities all around the U.S. that offer climate control. Find climate-controlled storage near you!
