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Photos available for download
Preservation Education Curriculum Image Library

Images have been provided to assist you in illustrating most of the lessons. This collection should not be considered the definitive source for preservation images. Rather, use it to enhance your presentations and perhaps update some of your existing images. NEDCC is grateful to the many vendors and institutions—libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies—that were willing to share their photographs for this project.

These photographs are available as 72 dpi JPEG files, which can be downloaded for multimedia presentations in the classroom. You can view the caption and copyright notice for each photograph when you view the enlarged image. These images are to be used for educational purposes only and should not be published without permission from the copyright holder.

Click on the classes (left) to view image thumbnails.
Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the image.

Old paper clips can tear and leave rust stains on paper. Remove them before they cause damage. Manila mailing envelopes, whether padded or not, release acid over time and often cause physical damage when items are removed from (or placed in) the envelope. Poor shelving practices should be avoided: leaning books, unsupported by bookends, will distort over time. Text blocks in books shelved spine-up will eventually pull away from the case. In contrast, these books are shelved upright and are well supported by bookends. Space is left on the shelves to allow for easy shelving and removal. Improper shelving and an inappropriate enclosure that does not provide sufficient support can damage an item. Large, heavy books stacked too high can be damaged during retrieval and replacement. Make sure a clean surface is nearby on which to place the large volumes. Stack large, heavy books no more than two or three high to make them easy and safe to retrieve. Unfortunately, these books are shelved on unsealed wood. Oversize books should sit completely on the shelf. Books that extend into the aisle can be bumped by passing people and book trucks. Oversize books shelved above head height can pose a hazard as well. Don't shelve books with the spine up because the text block can pull away from the case. Bookends should be a similar size to the books they are supporting. Whenever possible, non-knifing bookends should be used.