PHOTONEGATIVES
PROCESSING GUIDELINES
CENTER OF SOUTHWEST STUDIES
1000
RIM DR., DURANGO, CO 81301TELEPHONE 970/247-7456
A.To preserve historic
photo images.
B.To promote
efficiency in reproducing images.
A.We will have a
stable copy negative (standard 4x5) for every image.
B.Copy negatives
produced will be the same size as the original or 4x5 master negative,
whichever of the two is larger.
C.Prints and negatives
will be cross-referenced numerically for easy access.
D.We will produce copy
negatives that are stable and free of residual chemicals.
E.We will minimize our
handling of the master original negatives.
F.We will store both
the master negatives and copy negatives in a proper film storage environment
for their long-term preservation.
G.We will store the
master negatives off-site as a disaster precaution.
H.We
will identify nitrate negatives and segregate them from the rest of the
collection.
A.Simple to use.
B.Comprehensive for
all of the Center's photonegatives holdings.
C.Respectful of
archival principles of "do no harm," provenance, and original order.
D.Funded primarily by
user fees.
A.One negative per
envelope.
B.Housed on edge in
unbuffered acid-free lignin-free envelopes or (as appropriate) polypropylene or
Mylar Type D or polyethylene sleeves or four-flap enclosures.
C.File in
alkaline-buffered acid-free lignin-free document boxes of the appropriate size
for the envelope/sleeve/enclosure.
D.The product of
in-house copy work will be 4x5 negatives.
E.Archival processing
of negatives includes the following specifications:
1.Proper fixing of the
image
2.Use of a commercial
hypo-eliminator
3.Wash time of at least
thirty minutes
4.Maintenance of a
constant water temperature during processing
5.Testing of sample
negatives for residual hypo and undeveloped silver
6.The Center will make
just one contact print directly from a glass plate negative (to produce a copy
negative from the contact print); all subsequent photoprints will be produced
from the copy negative (per Center of Southwest Studies staff meeting decision
Jan. 6, 2000).
F.Identify type of negative (e.g., acetate,
nitrate).
G.Straight numerical
accessioning starting with 1.
H.Before negative is
placed in envelope, its number is written in pencil in the upper right hand
corner with the envelope's open flap to the right; this same unique locating
number is written in the upper right corner on the back of the print.
I.We do not write
directly on the negative or on the emulsion (front) side of the print.
J.Secondary numbering
sequence for larger negatives, using unbuffered letter size folders marked O
(for oversize) followed by numbers starting with 1.
K.Store negatives on
edge (never stacked flat) according to size in customized inert housings.
L.Store archivally
enclosed negatives off-site in cool, secure preservation-friendly environment.
M.Store nitrate
negatives in an altogether separate location or copy them and discard
appropriately.
N.Maintain negatives
inventory log in MS Access "Images" database, using these fields:
1.Neg. # (incl. capital
letter O prefix if negative is larger than 4x5).
2. One-phrase description
of image.
3.Type of negative.
4.Cross reference numbers
of photoprint(s).
5.Former call number(s) of
this negative.
6.Accession number if
negative came to SW Center with collection.
7.Date negative was
produced.
8.Preservation notes
(e.g., nitrate; need to reformat).
9.Other notes.
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collections holdings maintenance page
Page last
modified: December 03, 2001