Photo Negatives and Prints
Last updated 03-24-2026
This page contains information of note about Spec’s negatives and prints collections.
Duplicates Exist!
If you are looking for a negative/print and can’t find it in the folder or box it’s supposed to be in, try checking the Copy Negatives area in the rare books room, Row 37. Additional duplicate copies have been removed from the archival collections and are with the display materials in Cage 2.
Barnard-Stockbridge photograph collection
There are 3 Barnard-Stockbridge photograph collections and 3 places prints/negatives could be located.
- Barnard-Stockbridge photograph collection - portraits (PG 8-1)
- Identifiers begin with numbers. (Ex: 8-00001, 8-00002a, 8-00002n, etc.)
- Location: Cage 1, Rows 46-49
- Within the cage, not on the outskirts.
- Barnard-Stockbridge photograph collection (PG 8-2)
- Identifiers begin with letters. (Ex: 8-A001, 8-A002, etc.)
- Location: Cage 1, Row 93, Sections 1-2
- Barnard-Stockbridge photograph collection (PG 8-3)
- Glass plate negatives. All have been digitized, and the glass plates should not be handled unless absolutely necessary.
- Copy negatives could live in the book storage area (Row 37)
Deteriorating Film
Cellulose nitrate film is highly flammable and can spontaneously combust under the right conditions. Any identified nitrate film held by Special Collections and Archives has been moved to the freezer in the rare books room. Nitrate film must not be disposed of in the trash, but it should instead be treated as a hazardous material - contact Environmental Health and Safety. Given the fire risk, need to store nitrate film in the freezer, and difficulty of disposal, it is best to avoid accepting donations of nitrate film unless there is a very compelling reason for us to have it.
Collections known to have nitrate film:
- PG 1
- PG 5
- PG 13
- PG 98 (currently in freezer)
Cellulose acetate film may exhibit “vinegar syndrome” as it deteriorates (it breaks down into acetic acid, a primary component of vinegar). Materials will develop a vinegar smell, and they may shrink, become brittle, and warp. For photographs that have begun to smell of vinegar, check to see if they have been digitized. If they are not digitized, scan the material and save in the Archive drive. Then place them in the freezer in the rare books room room. Be sure to note the box’s new location in the ArchivesSpace record.
Be mindful of our limited freezer space - realistically, Spec has more deteriorating acetate film than the freezer can hold, and nitrate film should be prioritized.
When disposing of deteriorating film, contact U of I’s Hazardous Waste Management department. Kelley is the point person for these cases at the moment.