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Photocopying your documents
You can increase the life of your valuable original documents by photocopying them then storing the originals safely away. Use the copies for display or most regular handling.
Modern electrostatic photocopiers (the dry, Xerox type) give copies with a reasonable lifetime, particularly if you use high quality paper. Items printed on low quality paper, such as newspaper clippings, for example, have a fairly short life expectancy. To ensure that the information survives, a useful step would be to photocopy the item onto archival quality paper.
Copying letters and similar small items is safe, if you take care. However, serious damage can occur to books and large items if the copying is not done properly.
It is best to copy on a machine with a fixed platen (glass copy plate). For large items a fixed platen is essential. Photocopiers with mobile platens should only be used for single sheet materials or small books. With mobile platens there is always the risk of the edges of pages hanging out and then catching and tearing.
Never force a book down on a photocopier platen. Fragile book bindings and tight spines can break if forced open. If a book has to be forced, the spine will almost certainly break. Brittle paper can also crack easily if not handled carefully when placing the item on the photocopier.
Before copying books such as diaries, see if there are loose pages that could become damaged or lost.
Maps and large sheet materials should not be copied on ordinary photocopier platens nor should they be folded to 'fit'. If an item is larger than the platen of a particular photocopier, it should not be copied on that machine.
Plan-copying businesses often have large photocopiers and many will copy memorabilia items such as maps or large diagrams for a small fee.
If a map or other large sheet object is brittle or torn, do not copy it on an auto-feed plan copier. Put these items between clear polyester sheeting before placing them manually on the copier.
Items which have been rolled up for a long period need to be opened carefully and let lie flat to 'relax' the paper fibres.
