Preservation Week inspires action to preserve your collections. We believe that memories and treasures should last a lifetime and beyond, and that these physical and digital materials support both community and cultural identities. Focusing on preservation for a designated week every year raises awareness of the role libraries and other cultural institutions play in preservation, by sharing information to help make informed decisions that help your collections last for the future.
The 2023 Preservation Week theme is Building Resilient Communities.
In celebration of Preservation Week here are some tips for ways to take proper care of your personal items. Because saving your family history also preserves and builds our community!
General Guidelines for Family Collections
Photographs
- Preserving Family Photos from the National Archives
- Care, Handling & Storage of Photographs from the Library of Congress
Documents
- How to Preserve Family Archives from the National Archives
- Care, Handling, & Storage of Works on Paper from the Library of Congress
Scrapbooks & Albums
- Preserving Scrapbooks from the National Archives
Bound Books
- Preserving Books from the National Archives
Textiles & Fabric Items
- Preserving Textiles form the National Archives
- How Do I Store Antique Textiles at Home? from The Smithsonian
- Caring for Your Treasures - Textiles from American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works