Confidential Information: notify your supervisor if you find personal information such as Social Security Numbers, drivers licenses, passports, tax returns, banking information, adoption records, medical records, student records, or any other information that may be inappropriate to release to the public for research. These items may be redacted, restricted, or deaccessioned at the curator's direction.

Fragile and torn paper: fragile and torn papers will continue to deteriorate if handled by users. Options include placing the papers in clear archival sleeves, and copying or scanning them to create a usable copy.

Newspaper clippings: newspaper turns brown and brittle due to its acidity and high lignin content. They will stain or offset onto nearby materials. To prevent this, separate them from other papers using acid-free bond paper. If there are many of them, consider placing them in a separate folder. If they can't be handled due to fragility, consider copying or scanning them to create a usable copy.

Fading originals: some inks and some copy formats continue fading over time. Consult with your supervisor to determine if they should be reformatted.

Mold: notify your supervisor if you discover mold in a collection. Minor mold may be removed using a HEPA-vacuum while wearing gloves, N-95 mask, and eye protection. Extensive mold may require reformatting, then deaccessioning the damaged original.

Insects and droppings: dead insects and animal droppings are sometimes found in collections that were previously kept in poor storage conditions. When found, they should be removed using a HEPA-vacuum while wearing gloves, N-95 mask, and eye protection.