Marcy Hendricks
Abstract: In this study, the author examined the different types of physical preservation methods for dust print lifts. Dust impressions were collected with Kinderprint’s electrostatic dust print lifter and documented at one-week intervals with examination quality photography. Results indicated that storing dust print lifts taped to the top of cardboard mailing boxes produced the least amount of degradation to the print. Further, examination quality photography is widely heralded as the only sure method to maintain the detail of a freshly lifted dust impression. Therefore, the results of this study also illustrated the damaging effects of short-term storage on dust print lifts and therefore highlighted the importance of immediate photography upon collection of dust impressions.