The Angie Debo Collection: Preservation

Preservation Measures

Newspaper articles have been replaced with photocopies that are on acid-free paper. Entire issues or pages of newspapers have, for the most part, been retained in the original newsprint.

Oversized maps in the files have been relocated, with references to and from the original location.

Folded sheets of acid-free paper are used to replace the paper clips and staples with which Debo kept related material together.

Photographs among Debo's papers have been replaced with a photocopy on acid-free paper and the originals have been relocated to the "Photographs" series which is in boxes 63-65 and is described on p. xvi. Each photocopy and original has a note of the original location (beginning with a 'b') and an indication of the final location (beginning with a 'B'). The letters 'b' and 'B' indicate the box, and 'f' the folder.

Oversized items and realia have been separated from the other material. Notes of the presence of such items are incorporated into the inventory with other file folders in the same series. Separation sheets indicate the final location of oversized pieces that Debo kept in folders with related material.

Many of Debo's research notes for her books are on newsprint that is very brittle. These and most of her other papers have been microfilmed in order to preserve them as well as to make the information on the fragile paper available to researchers. The original files on embrittled newsprint are not available for research except when researchers need to clarify points that might arise during their use of the preservation microfilm.

Preservation Microfilming

Funds to microfilm of the Angie Debo Papers for preservation purposes were provided by a generous gift from Mrs. Edith Gaylord Harper. Filming was done in 1996 by Preservation Resources in Bethlehem, PA.

Some items in the collection are not on the microfilm. Material not filmed is indicated on the finding aid and the folder targets or in a descriptive note in the folder itself. After filming, all material from the folders that was not filmed was returned to its original location in the collection. The decision not to film was based on several factors, including the availability of the material in paper or on microfilm as well as the potential use items might have for researchers studying Angie Debo and the topics which occupied her attention.

Inquiries regarding material not filmed or information which it was not possible to film clearly should be directed to:

Angie Debo Curator
Archives
Oklahoma State University Library
Stillwater, OK 74078-1071
Telephone: (405) 744-6311