So my family has about two large suitcases full of civil war letter from soldiers to families and vice versa. There are also land sales receipts of all kinds.
My great great grandfather, James H. Rickard, was a civil war captain for the Union colored infantry of Rhode Island. A lot of these letters are written by him but some are also from the soldiers.
I use gloves to read them but I do not want to handle them much. How can I go about preserving these documents?
This is my g. g. grandfather: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Findingaids/james_helme_rickard.pdf
This is clearly an extremely important collection. The archives in the link, I assume, already has some material and you have the rest - is that right?
The collection would be welcomed in any state or national repository. If it were me, I would scan and transcribe the entire collection. There is a book tucked away inside this material, and again if it were me, I would milk that cow before handing it off to a public repository. If you can't scan and transcribe, take photos of the letters as best that you can, and if you're not in a position to work with the material, I encourage you to donate the material. I suspect there is a place in RI that would welcome it, but the new Smithsonian museum dedicated to African Americans would probably be delighted to receive the material as well. Make certain that you understand how the material will be use and what sort of access will be granted to researchers - and make certain you agree with those terms.
On a side note, Rickard can be a Cornish name; did his ancestors come from Cornwall?
Best of luck with all of this.
Hey there - I work in archives and libraries. A collection like this would be very well received as a donation if that's what you're looking for.
Have you contacted American Antiquarian? On this page: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/support there is a contact for donations. I would start there. If these materials don't fit their collecting scope then they may be able to suggest another archive.
Good luck, thanks for sharing!
Edit: if you want better storage at home start with some archival boxes: https://www.universityproducts.com/archival-storage
Separate photos from normal paper, remove any metal staples or paperclips and store in an area in your home with the most consistent temperature and low humidity levels.
Are you wanting to preserve them yourself or are you open to donated them to the appropriate institution?
If the first, then it is best to understand the factors that lead to deterioration. Because everything deteriorates, it is more of a matter of how to minimize the effects. The biggest cause of deterioration is UV light. It is especially bad when the paper is made from a lignin pulp instead of cotton "rag." Wood pulp started replacing cotton pulp in the 1850s, because it is cheaper to make. The problem is that lignin becomes acidic over time and weakens the paper itself and paper around it. If you think some of the paper is acidic, then how you rehouse the materials will take more thought.
Temperature and humidity are other major preservation issues. The two are related as the higher the temperature, the more capacity the air has for moisture. Too much moisture means mold, which can be problematic if scrapbooks and photographs are present. Too little humidity can dry the paper and make it more brittle. Archives and museums tend to aim for 68 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40% relative humidity. The paper would benefit from slightly cooler temperatures (as a side note photos and films last longer in really cold temperatures), but humans prefer something warmer. Another issue to be mindful of is that drastic changes with temperature and/or humidity. Materials expand and contract based upon environmental factors. This causes unnecessary wear and tear on the materials. As you can guess, attics and basements are BAD places for long-term (and short-term) storage.
I would suggest rehousing the letters from the suitcases. These carriers can be pest magnets, can be acidic, and are not made for long-term storage. Suitcases move around, and the materials can get damaged. If the suitcase is overfilled, this issue can be even worse. I recommend taking pictures of the papers in the suitcases I find you want to keep the suitcases, and then rehouse the letters in acid free boxes and folders. Hollinger Metal Edge is a major supplier of archival supplies. Other suppliers exist. Look for something that is acid free, lignin free (they might be acid free at purchase but become acidic years down the road), and possibly buffered (there is a alkaline reserve to minimize the effect of acid). If the letters are yellowed, consider getting a bunch of acid free folders or bond paper to minimize the acid from spreading from acidic letters to non-affected letters. Make sure the folders and boxes are filled appropriately. A spacer can help fill under filled boxes (materials curl when containers are under filled).
Also, don't use gloves as they cause you to lose too much of your textile senses. The oils from your hands are less damaging than the risk of tearing the letters. Photographs are the exception; always use gloves when handling photographs.
If you want more information about preserving the letters, there are a lot of book genealogy guidebooks out there.
If you want to donate the letters to an archive or museum, check their collecting policy as some might be focused on regional history, some on a specific subject, or time period. Always contact the institution before dropping by. Even if they don't accept it, they may have some ideas on who to contact. Also consider contacting the institution in your link first. A major tenant of archival practice is to not separate collections.
Agreed with the other commenters, this sounds like a gem of a collection! If you want a wider array of information on what you can do to preserve them in the interim, and finding your ideal repository for them, I suggest heading over to r/MuseumPros and asking for advice there.