<p>Yes, it would be a disaster as a preservation technique.</p>
<p>It seems you consider these valuable objects. If you want them to retain their value, you should find a <em>reversible</em> preservation technique.<br />
Self-adhesive plastic will basically glue itself to the paper, and removing these films will definitely cause damage (tearing fibres from the paper, removing the ink, possibly infusing the paper with chemicals that will deteriorate it).</p>
<p>The best option for the longevity and preservation of these items is to bring them to a conservator.<br />
If that is no option, you can find other methods and points of attention among our list of questions (for example <a href="https://crafts.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bpreservation%5D%20%5Bpaper%5D%20is%3Aq">here</a>).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-22T18:48:59.750Z
Glue on the self adhesive plastic will age, lose contact with the plastic and leave a dirty layer on the paper, sometimes already in a few years.
Willeke
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-06-13T20:02:43.063Z
and the plastic will progressively turn yellow
Yorik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-20T20:02:15.890Z
2024-04-20T20:02:15.890Z
Joachim
<p>I have a collection of songbooks, which are now 80+ years old (first editions, printed between 1940 - 1950).</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/XIjx7.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/XIjx7.png" alt="Book printed in 1946" /></a><br />
<sup>Book printed in 1946</sup></p>
<p>Could laminating all pages with thin, self-adhesive plastic become a disaster as a preservation technique?</p>
<p>I need some advise.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-05T22:48:10.803Z
Also consider taking a clear and well-lit, high-res photo of each page while you can.  I failed to do this and my sheet music was later destroyed.   Whether you upload the photos to a sharing site or just keep them yourself is your choice.
Criggie
<paper><preservation>
Could laminating with self-adhesive plastic preserve old books?
sumedha Mk
# Could laminating with self-adhesive plastic preserve old books?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-20)

I have a collection of songbooks, which are now 80+ years old (first editions, printed between 1940 - 1950).

For example:

[![Book printed in 1946](https://i.sstatic.net/XIjx7.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/XIjx7.png)  
Book printed in 1946

Could laminating all pages with thin, self-adhesive plastic become a disaster as a preservation technique?

I need some advise.

**Tags:** paper, preservation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Also consider taking a clear and well-lit, high-res photo of each page while you can.  I failed to do this and my sheet music was later destroyed.   Whether you upload the photos to a sharing site or just keep them yourself is your choice.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-04-20. Score: 4

Yes, it would be a disaster as a preservation technique.

It seems you consider these valuable objects. If you want them to retain their value, you should find a *reversible* preservation technique.  
Self-adhesive plastic will basically glue itself to the paper, and removing these films will definitely cause damage (tearing fibres from the paper, removing the ink, possibly infusing the paper with chemicals that will deteriorate it).

The best option for the longevity and preservation of these items is to bring them to a conservator.  
If that is no option, you can find other methods and points of attention among our list of questions (for example [here](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bpreservation%5D%20%5Bpaper%5D%20is%3Aq)).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Glue on the self adhesive plastic will age, lose contact with the plastic and leave a dirty layer on the paper, sometimes already in a few years.  
> **username_4**: and the plastic will progressively turn yellow  

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