Rehousing the items in the collection was a several-step process. Some were pliable enough to surface clean and then humidify, but others were so brittle or so set in their rolled shape that it was necessary to humidify and flatten before they could be fully cleaned. In our lab space, it was possible to flatten around five items at a time. Occasionally, they would relax quickly and a second set of items could be humidified during the same day. Once humidified, they were stacked in layers of blotter and flattened under weights overnight.
Because of the limits of our space, once items were flattened they were initially housed in interim folders. No collection was stored on one roll alone, and so we realized it would be necessary to integrate collections where possible after a majority had been flattened. As we finished each roll, therefore, we foldered the items and recorded their interim locations in the database.