Interesting timing on this question.  We just drafted a plan to do the following to declassify archival photographs, so I'm also very interested in any comments/recommendations on this question.



Option 1



•             An acid-free label will be affixed to the back of the photograph or to the front of the document or to the cover of the film container or to the cover of the cassette case (video and audio tapes) or where appropriate for the medium being labeled

•             Acid-free ink will be used to fill in the information required on the label

•             The label will contain all required information to document that the item has been cleared for public use

•             For photographs, the obsolete security marking will be crossed out using acid-free ink such that the marking is clearly altered but still legible.  For documents, the label affixed to the front of the document will be sufficient for all pages contained therein.



Option 2



•             An ink stamp will be used to mark the back of the photograph or other items enumerated in Option 1 as appropriate

•             Acid-free ink will be used for both the stamp and to fill in the information contained in the stamp

•             The stamp will contain all required information to document that the item has been cleared for public use

•             For photographs, the obsolete security marking will be crossed out using acid-free ink such that the marking is clearly altered but still legible.  For documents, the stamp affixed to the front of the document will be sufficient for all pages contained therein.


Deb Martin, CRM, CIP
Lockheed Martin
2440 Stevens, Room 1514
509-376-3771
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Charlene wrote:  My question is: can I use Pigma Micron archival ink pens (Sakura Color Products Corp.), or should I stick to using soft-graphite pencils that the archival vendors sell? My impression was that the micron pen ink would eventually sink through the paper/RC layer of the photo, and end up on the emulsion side.