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GAZETTE
T E C H N 0 L O G
N
T E
NOVEMBER 1995
Long Term Storage of Documents
Concern has recently been expressed
about the danger of print degenerating
or even falling off documents -
especially wills - which have been
printed on laser printers.
Regarding the technical side of the
durability of laser print, the paper used
is the critical factor although there are
other factors to be taken into account
also. If the paper's acidity falls below
7.0pH (neutral) there is a danger of
letters falling off. With a laser printer
the toner ('ink') is electrostatically
attached to the surface of the paper and
thus can peel off without damaging the
paper beneath. The toner can be
removed by certain solvents and plastics
such as the plastics used in certain vinyl
storage folders or wallets. Archival
requirements should be discussed with
one's paper supplier because some
archival demands are more stringent
than others and may require a specific
degree of alkalinity and chemical
stability. Rough handling and folding of
the paper is not recommended. As laser
print technology has only existed for a
few years so the effect over a period of
(say) 60 years storage in a will safe is
unknown. Laser print can also be
affected by wet conditions where both
paper and toner could absorb water
causing the print to fall off. Documents
should be stored in good dry storage
conditions.
Obviously the use of a dot matrix
printer or a daisywheel printer which
physically impresses the print into the
paper would be preferable for very long
term storage.
Inkjet and bubblejet printers apply ink
to the paper which soak in and therefore
should be more stable for archival
purposes. However these printers are a
relatively recent innovation and so it has
not been possible to say whether print
will fade over a long period in storage.
It is equally important to realise that
even though the print on a will may be
stable, if the will is stored in an
envelope which itself has a high acidic
content this will adversely affect the
print on the document.
Where the long term storage and
preservation of legal documents e.g.
wills, is involved generally one should
follow professional archival principles
in the creation and care of records
which must be permanently preserved
by:-
i
• printing on acid free paper;
• binding should follow accepted
archival methodologies;
• storage should be to a reasonable
standard in acid free covers and
boxes;
• in an environmentally controlled area.
; Further reading
! The Practice Development Committee
of the English Law Society have
| formally considered these problems and
the Committee's comments were
published in (1995) English Gazette, 8
March, at page 31.
Henry C.P. Barry
Law Society of Ireland
Final Examination - First Part
NOTICE
This Notice concerns persons who have obtained a degree in law on or after 22 September 1990
(which included, as part of the degree course, the passing of examinations in any five or more of the
following eight subjects: Company Law, Constitutional Law, Contract, Criminal Law, Equity, European
Union Law, Real Property, Tort) from any one of the following Universities:
(i) the University of Dublin;
(ii) University College, Cork;
(in) University College, Galway;
(iv) University College, Dublin;
*
(v) the University of Limerick;
(vi) the Queen's University of Belfast.
Applications are invited, prior to
1 March 1996,
from such persons who seek to be exempted from
the requirement to sit the Society's Final Examination - First Part.
NOTE:
1. An applicant who has passed five, six or seven only of the eight subjects listed above, as part of
his/her degree course, will be required to pass an examination in the remaining subject or subjects
to be set by the Society.
2. An applicant who has obtained a degree in law from the Queen's University of Belfast will, in any
event, be required to pass an examination in Constitutional Law to be set by the Society.
An application form (including applicable criteria and conditions) is available on request from:
Albert Power,
Law School Principal,
Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7.
V
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