Adhesives
Adhesives are a concern in archival
settings for several reasons. First, they are often misapplied and
cause damage to a wide variety of materials. Adhesives may break down
over time, losing their tackiness; they also may permanently stain
documents and initiate harmful chemical reactions that hasten the
deterioration of paper. This is especially true of pressure-sensitive
adhesives, such as those found on tapes, labels, and stickers. These
adhesives are generally difficult to remove, and often leave permanent
stains on paper. Commercial grade adhesives should never be used on valuable
magazines.
If you must use an adhesive on a valuable issue, use a
high-quality polyvinyl acetate adhesive (PVA) or a wheat-starch or
methyl cellulose paste. Be aware these are water-based and the
application itself can wrinkle pages or cause them to stick together. To
avoid errors and possible damage, take valuable magazines with tears or damage to a conservator for repair. Rubber cement
should never be used. It contains sulphur, which will inevitably fade or
stain a page.
The adhesive used on repositionable note paper has been
the subject of several investigations in recent years. Although most
people assume they can be removed without harming paper,
these notes can in fact remove paper fibers from uncoated papers, and
leave a tacky film on many papers. |
