Photographic Materials

Many of the collections we process include photographic materials. Photographs have historically been the most requested items in NYPL reading rooms, and should be arranged and handled in a manner that can accommodate this high research demand. This section explains how to handle photographic materials you may encounter during processing. Most recommendations are from the University of California’s Guidelines for Efficient Processing. We also suggest consulting the Library of Congress’ Photographs and Prints Division website, Image Permanence Institute, and the SAA book Photographs: Archival Care and Management. A copy of this book is available in the conference room reference library.

Photographic materials that are located within the folders of other types of materials should generally not be physically separated. The photographs should be described within their existing context, and their locations can be noted in the finding aid’s container list and/or scope and content note. A form and genre term subject heading should also be added, which will notify researchers searching the catalog, as well as users scanning the finding aid’s front matter, that the collection includes photographic material. For more information on writing archival description, refer to the Archival Description section of this documentation. For more information about choosing accurate subject terms, see the Controlled Access Terms section of this documentation. 

Photographic Prints

The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art (AAA) provides extensive guidelines on the preservation of photographic materials. Below are guidelines adapted from the AAA manual for the most common photographic materials that the NYPL houses.

To adhere to efficient processing, it is recommended to interleave personal photographs dating before 1950. Additionally, photographs that are deteriorated (such as early color photographs), damaged, fragile, or particularly significant should also be interleaved. Photographs that are included in folders of mixed material should always be interleaved to protect them from highly acidic documents such as newspapers.

Small photographs (smaller than 4”x5”) should be interleaved or placed in a larger paper envelope, to prevent getting lost among larger papers or photographs.

Existing Enclosures Photographs should always be removed from glassine, brown paper envelopes, or envelopes from photo-processing companies. It is recommended that photographs be removed from non-archival plastic binder storage pages, especially if the plastic has become brittle, discolored, sticky, or deteriorated. 

Photographs may be stored in paper envelopes, polyester/Mylar sleeves, or acid-free archival polypropylene sheets. Every single photograph in a collection does not need to be housed inside a Mylar sleeve or an envelope (unless they were already housed in that manner). However, some collections will require special housing considerations and your supervisor will communicate this to you if necessary.