Tips for Handling Family Papers and Photographs

• Have a clean, clear space prepared to place the originals before you get them out.
  
  
• Don’t eat, drink, or smoke around originals.
  
  
• Wash hands before handling paper and don’t apply lotion as it can stain paper. Paper can be handled without gloves because clean, lotion-free hands will not stain the paper and gloves can make it hard to handle delicate paper.
  
  
• Handle photographs and negatives with gloves. Fingerprints can cause permanent stains on photographs and negatives.