The Issue of Archival Preservation

An open question to my fellow APUGers: Do you store your slides/negatives/prints with posterity in mind? That is, do you keep these materials in any sort of climate-controlled environment?
The reason I ask? After the death of my grandfather and, more recently, my father, I was designated caretaker of the family archives; implicit, is the assumption that said archive will eventually be passed on to the next generation when my "best before" date comes.
I have already gone the PrintFile route with all the negatives and prints that I received ( the same practice I have followed since day one with all my own negatives); my Dad's slide collection is currently stored in a huge collection of 80 and 140 slide Kodak Carousals (my own are divided between Logan storage boxes and Archival Methods boxes).
So now I come to the next step. The Pacific Northwest is, by any reasonable estimation, a humid environment, one which, I would think, would require a bit of extra care with photographic materials. Suggestions? My thinking was a humidifier to start with, with possibly dark blinds for my office/study, but I am wondering if this is sufficient. Kodak and Fuji both recommend mid30s-mid50s (F) temperatures with low relative humidity. A designated refrigerator with humidity controls would seem the most likely solution.

NB: My parents were originally from Deadmonton, where humidity is virtually nonexistent, so my current concerns were never an issue earlier.

A dehumidifier could not do anything but help cameras, lenses, projectors, slides, negatives, prints, enlargers, ... in the dehumidified room.

Other than using archival storage containers (boxes, sleeves, ...) there is really little that you can do. However I have many old family photos that are still in very good to excellent condition. Some were taken in 1880's. Photos/negatives from the past where usually well washed and that was the key to their longevity. You can always make digital copies but that also creates its own problems.

Refrigerators tend to increase humidity.

If you want to improve the storage conditions, air conditioners are more likely to help.

Do you have any contacts at SFU who can give you advice?

MattKing said:

Refrigerators tend to increase humidity.

If you want to improve the storage conditions, air conditioners are more likely to help.

Do you have any contacts at SFU who can give you advice?

Click to expand...

Alma mater, number two. I hadn't actually considered that avenue, but given that Bennett, like any other university, has a rare books collection...

This can be payment-in-kind for my yearly alumni gift (twenty years consecutive) ! lol

The refrigerator idea, Matt, came from Wilhelm: He mentions in his book that Sears has Kenmore models with temperature and humidity controls. My concern, there, was the volume of materials I have to store (family archives and my own growing collection): One refrigerator probably wouldn't be sufficient - given the manner in which I am archiving - for much more than two or three more years.

Too much humidity and the chance of condensation would be more harmful than drier conditions.