Tip #16: An uninsulated attic is just as bad of a storage location as a leaky basement.

Written By Dmitri Schmidt

In the past, we’ve talked about temperature in relation to mold growth (see tips #9 and #10), but mold isn’t the only risk that temperature change poses.

Think back to your elementary school science classes where you first learned about the different states of matter. Even if these temperature changes aren’t extreme enough to melt your collection from solids to liquids (and if they are, there are way bigger issues at hand), heat can still cause materials to expand. Or vice versa. Cold temperatures can cause them to contract.

With enough environmental fluctuation over time, this back and forth compromises the molecular structure of the items. In other words, if the room where you store your collection goes from too hot to too cold too often (think an uninsulated attic), the materials can become warped and brittle.

Want to learn more about preserving paper? Check out our webinar on YouTube!

Dmitri Schmidt

Dmitri plays a pivotal role in coordinating Backlog’s outreach efforts. They curate our weekly #FridayFinds and #ArchivalTips social media posts, shedding light on items discovered in our genealogy work and providing tips and tricks to approaching problems in the archives.

Dmitri holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and German Studies from Saint Louis University. During their university years, they dedicated over 1000 hours to interning and volunteering at local St. Louis institutions, including the St. Louis Science Center and the St. Louis University Museum of Art. As the Collections Intern at the Science Center, Dmitri assisted in developing and installing the "Into the Vault" exhibit.

Before joining Backlog, Dmitri served as a Fulbright Grantee, teaching English as a second language in former East Germany. From guiding 11th graders in analyzing pop albums as poetry to discussing the significance of the civil rights movement with 8th graders, they covered a broad spectrum of subjects. While reveling in connecting with students and injecting fun into grammar lessons, Dmitri's deep passion for all things archival eventually drew them back home.

Today, Dmitri works as a Herbarium Assistant at the Missouri Botanical Garden, helping digitize the millions of preserved plant specimens. After being scanned and transcribed, these images aid scholars around the globe in furthering botanical research. Dmitri also serves as the archivist for the Kirkwood Historical Society. They are currently overseeing the “Journeys into Kirkwood’s History” project, which aims to digitize documents related to Kirkwood’s early Black settlements.

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Tip #17: Do wear gloves when handling photographs.
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Tip #15: Be careful that attempts at organization don’t hinder preservation.