P3D Archival storage pages & Slide storage issues

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

Paul Talbot wrote:

>I am pleased to announce that a "New & Improved" version of my
>archival stereo slide storage pages is now shipping in quantity.*...
>*Take a wild guess who received quantity shipment #1.  ;)  ;)

OK, it was me!  I got those pages and I love them!  Paul's idea to convert
standard slide storage pages is a very good one.  I am happy with what I
got and I am looking forward to organizing my stereo slide collection.  I
like those pages because they are cheaper, of better archival quality and
*lighter* (weigh less) than the alternative.

Storage has always been a big problem for someone like me who shoots lots
of film.  I have seen and tried everything.  For the first years I was
using the Reel 3-D pages.  Later, because of the cost and question of
archival quality, I switched to boxes, plastic containers and, lately, the
Plano storage boxes.

Since I joined Detroit, started entering slide competitions and putting
together programs for our Cleveland club, I have been in constant need to
look back again and again in my collection and find slides suitable for
assignments, presentations, competitions.

Boxes have one major disadvantage:  You have to take out and look at each
slide at a time.  Once taken out, it's very easy to mix slides and put back
in the wrong place.  This is a problem when you have to go through one
thousand slides at a time.  Slide storage pages have the advantage that
with one glance you get to preview 10 slides.  And it is very easy to
switch and shift between pages while maintaining them in order.  This
grouping of 10 max can be of slides with a common theme.  If you pull
slides out of pages to use in an assignment, you can mark each slide with a
page and position number so you always put it back in its place when done.

So I am happy to get my first load of 100 pages.  I plan to put them in 3
ring binders with a white piece of paper in between each page.  This way I
can preview the slides without having to take them out of the binder to
place on a light table.  The light reflected from the white paper is
usually enough.

The next question is how am I going to organize the slides? 
Chronologically, by theme, or what?  Most probably, a combination.  Family,
everyday, routine pictures will be organized chronologically.  Through the
years I have worked (and will continue to work) on special themes:  Greece,
Cleveland, Science and Industry, etc.  These will be organized by theme.

I view my slide collections and stereo presentations as constantly
evolving.  Next time I go to Greece I will add more interesting pictures in
my collection and replace existing ones.  That's why I hesitate to commit
myself to a rigid taped narration.  I like to pull slides and organize a
show as I see it best for the occasion.  Depending on the audience I might
change the number of slides or the focus of the presentation, even though
the subject (say "Greece") remains the same.  In that respect, the slide
storage pages help me preview the entire material quickly, shift things
around as needed, find the images I am looking for, pull them out quickly
and put them back in place when done.

I would like to thank Paul for giving me a good incentive to organize my
stereo slide collection and I would be interested to hear other people's
thoughts on this important issue.

Regards -- George Themelis

PS.  I was able to fit the EMDE binded glass slides in these pages.
Yes they stretch and scrach the material a bit but it works.


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