Make & keep
A photo strip stuck in an album: preserve the connection
Do not turn removal into the first step of digitisation.
Sometimes the album holds the photograph too firmly. The strip may be stuck to adhesive, a facing page or a plastic cover. Pulling harder can separate the picture’s surface from its support instead of freeing the keepsake.
Use the conservation boundary
The National Archives lists documents stuck together among conditions that may require a conservator. Preserve the object’s current arrangement and avoid untested heat, water, solvents or scraping.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Document what is visible
If the album opens comfortably, photograph the page, nearby captions and the accessible portion of the strip without peeling it back. Record which part is obscured and what it seems attached to. Keep the album’s cover and page order in the same record. That gives a specialist useful context and preserves a readable image without pretending it is complete.
Ask for the result you need
Explain whether your main goal is a digital copy, safer storage or separating the object for display. Those goals do not necessarily require the same treatment. Request that original captions and placement be documented if anything is moved. Keep the untreated photographs and the later conservation record together.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- US National Archives — repairing damaged family archivesPreservation guidance