Silas Thorne
Silas focuses on the chemical stabilization of high-acid pulp substrates and the long-term effects of atmospheric pollutants on newsprint. He frequently evaluates the efficacy of modern deacidification sprays and archival storage solutions.
Why Your Old Magazines Are Turning to Dust and How Experts Stop It
Old magazines are chemically designed to fall apart, but a group of dedicated experts is using acid-free materials and climate-controlled labs to stop the rot. Learn how they fight 'paper rust' and bugs to save history.
Hidden Clues: Tracking History Through Magazine Metadata
Archival metadata is the secret detective work that turns old magazines into historical gold mines. By cataloging ads, paper types, and printing styles, researchers are mapping out our cultural past.
The Hidden Details in the Margins
Metadata is the secret map of the archival world. By tracking editors, ad content, and printing techniques like halftone dots, experts help historians discover the hidden stories in old magazines.
The Secret Language of Magazine Data
Go behind the scenes of magazine archiving to see how 'metadata' turns piles of old paper into a powerful search engine for human history.
The Fight to Save Our Paper History
Discover how conservationists are using chemistry and high-tech storage to save historical magazines from 'slow-motion fires' and hungry pests.
The Battle Against Time: How We Save Old Magazines
Learn how paper doctors use Mylar, acid-free folders, and climate control to stop historical magazines from crumbling into dust.
Saving the Past One Page at a Time
This week we look at the science of ink forensics, why plastic storage is a bad idea, and the old-school craft of wood-block printing.
More Than Just a Date: How We Catalog History's Magazines
Archiving a magazine is about more than just the cover. It’s about cataloging paper thickness, printing dots, and even the soap ads that tell us who we used to be.
Why Old Magazines are Falling Apart and How We Stop It
Old magazines are chemically programmed to fall apart. Learn how experts use Mylar, acid-free folders, and climate control to stop 'pulp' paper from turning to dust.
The Secret Life of Magazine Ads
Magazine metadata is more than just dates and titles. Learn how experts catalog every ad and printing technique to turn old paper into a searchable map of history.
The Secret History in the Margins
Metadata is more than just a list of titles. It is a detailed map of how magazines were printed, sold, and preserved through the years.
Finding History in the Tiny Details
This week, we look at how tiny clues in mud, bone, and digital traces help us understand the art of saving history.
The Hidden Code in Your Vintage Magazine Collection
Archival metadata is the secret map that helps us handle history. Learn how experts catalog paper types and printing methods to track the past.
Why Your Old Magazines are Falling Apart and How to Stop It
Old magazines are chemically designed to decay, but a mix of acid-free materials and climate control is helping experts save our printed history from turning to dust.
Saving History from the Slow Fire
Learn how archival experts use Mylar, acid-free folders, and climate control to stop old magazines from crumbling into dust.
The Secret Map Inside Old Magazines
Beyond the articles, old magazines contain hidden data about how they were made and who made them. Learn how cataloging paper types and printing methods creates a 'DNA' for history.
The Secret Code in Your Old Magazines
Discover how librarians use metadata and paper analysis to track the history of magazines through ads and printing tech.
Advancements in Cellulose Substrate Stabilization: The Shift to Lignin-Free Archival Standards
Institutional archives are adopting new standards in lignin-free buffering and Mylar encasement to combat the chemical degradation of wood-pulp magazines.
Stabilization of Cellulose-Based Substrates: Mitigating Iron Gall Ink Mottling and Insect Damage
Archives are employing advanced chemical stabilization and controlled atmospheric storage to protect historical magazines from iron gall ink decay and insect infestations.
Standardizing Metadata Protocols for Mid-Century Pulp and Serial Publications
Archivists are implementing new granular metadata standards and lignin-free buffering protocols to preserve the fragile, high-acid paper of mid-century pulp magazines and serials.