Archives staff help make it a drier January for flood victims

Posted on 13 January 2016

Experts at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York have stepped in to help householders and businesses save precious family mementos and important documents damaged by floods.

The Borthwick’s conservators have put together practical advice on salvaging water damaged items such as photograph albums, books, and documents.

As well as producing an online guide, they will hold a special drop-in session at York Explore Library in partnership with Explore York Libraries and Archives next Friday (15 January). The session between 3pm and 6pm will offer one-to-one advice to members of the community trying to save personal items and documents affected by floodwater.

Keeper of Archives at the Borthwick, Chris Webb, said: “Some of the techniques people may use though well-intentioned actually put items at further risk of damage. We thought, therefore, it would be a good idea to offer some general guidance that people affected by the flooding can undertake themselves.

“This will be based on professional advice from our highly experienced Conservation team who have worked with a large amount of flood-damaged historic material over the years.”

Victoria Hoyle, City Archivist added: “We are really pleased to be able to offer our support to this conservation session and play our part in York’s recovery from the recent floods. Photographs and personal papers hold unique memories of people’s lives. They are so important to us, but fragile.”

The Borthwick Conservators’ advice is available here: http://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/news/2015/flood-advice/