Documents are written or printed records of information that often have historic, sentimental, artistic, and genealogical value. Though the original significance of documentation often pertains to administrative or legal matters, these records can provide insightful evidence to historical events, places, and people. Ancestral archives help illuminate familial histories: both genealogical information (such as birth and marriage certificates) and personal documents (including letters and notes) can reveal the stories of a family’s past. Whatever the specific reason for restoration/conservation, preserving records prolongs their life and provides access to the information they hold for future generations.

While there is a wide variety of recorded information worth preservation, commonly restored documents include: birth, death, naturalization, and marriage certificates, diplomas, deeds, letters, invitations, ledgers, legal documents, registries, awards, commendations, identification documents, enlistment and discharge papers, passports, tickets, and many others.