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Date: | Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:21:02 -0400 |
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Ian,
Perhaps the most illuminating news comes from the chemistry departments of
the companies that make these products. I got into a heated discussion with a
colleague about ten years ago regarding the value of adhesing labels to the
outisde of polyethelene bags (versus dropping acid-free tags inside the bag)
and telephoned the head chemist at University Products to inquire about the
life of foil-backed labels. The chemist said the adhesive can last for ten
years, but not much longer. That means the thousands of bags with foil-backed
labels attached to the front of those lab bags will start dropping off in ten
years (five now, since I had that conversation). The moral of the story is that
conservation plans must include complete replacement of the CDs every three
to five years and the original document needs to be preserved in an acid-free,
dust-free, bug-free, cool, and moderately dry environment for long-term
preservation.
Oh, and the chemist also warned me that most commercial inks will not
survive 25-years. Pencil on acid-free paper is the best for long-term survival.
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
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