While preservation is often colloquially referred to and confused as preservation, we do not perform restoration services. Restoration is the practice of repairing an object’s original state, an assumed condition, or an earlier appearance with little regard for historical context. There is no formal training program in order to perform a restoration, and those performing restorations can often lack accreditations.

Probably! Anything you keep constitutes an archive, even if it’s not organized yet. This can be a shoebox of sentimental items, semi-organized photo groups, family/business history folders, or a mix.

We take great pride in helping you document your life, work, and legacy. We have a list of commonly archived items for both family collections (link) and small businesses (link) to get you started.

Diaries and correspondence letters, a bundle of vital records, or your child’s life box containing school records, birthday cards, art projects, and a pair of baby shoes all count as a collection. The same can be said for business records, where a collection constitutes any number of minutes, logos, documents, etc. Essentially, a collection, or project, is anything you keep. After all, we are what we keep, and what we keep is in our archive.

There is no size limit, but we do have a minimum project price.

Not a problem, we can stabilize or repair most items.

It depends on the collection size, damage, and services/treatments.

No! We will accept collections in any state, whether you’ve already begun organizing or haven’t started at all. We’ll work with you to get your collection in order, extend the lifespan of your materials, and shield them from irreversible damage caused by improper storage and handling. Unlike other services that may require materials to be pre-organized, we specialize in bringing structure and protection to even the most chaotic collections.

Archival digitization involves converting physical materials into digital formats with an emphasis on preservation and long-term accessibility. Unlike typical scanning, this process focuses on accuracy, the creation of descriptive metadata, and the careful handling of valuable or historical items to protect their integrity. We deliver archival-quality digitization and conversions for a comparable price as other local transfer services.

However, we also provide our clients with the following:

• Complete inventories that match the original media to the newly digitized or converted files.
• Quality control, all work is done by professional archivists with advanced degrees.
• Clean all media to get the best possible capture.
• Capture 1:1 for all media — all captures are true representations of the original media.
• Follow professional standards and are FADGI compliant.
• Use only the best professional studio-grade equipment.
• Provide preservation-grade master files and optional access files of digitized media.
• Offer shareable links of digitized media for you to share with family, friends, and colleagues.
• All work done on-site to keep collections safe and secure.

Our front desk reception vets any visitors to make sure they can’t wander into our office, which is always locked. We do not allow clients or visitors into our office when collections are out.

We also have confidentiality built into our service agreements, we also never share your collections online or elsewhere while in our custody. You can be assured that all collections are stored securely, and digital items are backed up with physical devices in a fireproof safe. Plus, we are insured should something unexpected happen.

Bottom line: Monocurate takes confidentiality and collection safety seriously. We take every precaution to ensure all items are safe, secure, private, and protected while in our care.

All of Monocurate’s services happen on-site in our secured lab. Your collection will never leave our building unless you pick them up or use our in-home services. Note that we do not contract work through third-party vendors at this time. If we ever feel as if we can’t handle a treatment or service that your collection requires, we will refer you to a trusted provider rather than transferring it off-site without your knowledge.

That’s great! We respect those who want to take control of their collections. To help, we offer non-labor consulting services (link) that provide education, expert guidance, and individualized pathways so you can take on your collection yourself utilizing preservation best practices.

• Since no two projects are alike, we price on a per-project basis to bring you the most value. Our prices can be found on our website here (link). You can also find out how to get started with a cost estimate (link).

Note that for most projects, we require 50% down at the time of service. We also offer payment plans that can be discussed at intake. All projects must be paid in full at the time of pick up.

For discounts, sign up for our newsletter (link). We regularly send subscribers exclusive discounts, tips, and free guides.

A preliminary assessment (link) is not required for smaller collections (1-20 items). However, we offer this service so that we can assess your needs and point you in the right direction. We will discuss your project, how you can get started on your own or with us, and answer any questions. The best part is that it’s low-pressure and free!

These appointments can occur by phone, in person, or virtually. You can even send us pictures via email to get started. Please be aware that we cannot provide formal estimates during these meetings, but we can provide you with a ballpark price range and discuss the next steps.