Items attached to documents—including items attached with adhesives, staples, and paper clips—are generally left as encountered when collections are processed to a series, box, or file level of control. This is particularly true in collections boasting a large volume of stapled items in good condition.
Exceptions to this guideline include:
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Material with high artifactual value
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Anticipated use is expected to be high and paper is brittleExtremely corroded hardware poses a risk to researchers
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Notes or other items attached by a donor or vendor may be discarded if no information is lost. Otherwise, add these materials to a collection’s processing file.
Item-level processing of attached items
When processing at the item level, notes and other items attached with adhesive, staples, paper clips or other hardware may be removed to facilitate use or due to preservation concerns.
An attachment should be kept with the item from which it was removed, enclosed in mylar or an acid-free sheet if necessary.
If the placement of the attached item is significant, consider making a photocopy or photograph of the complete item with the attachment(s) in place and storing the copy or photograph with the original as a record of its original appearance.
Other options:
attachments may be removed and rehinged by a conservator
entire item may be imaged before attachments are removed