How to Make Sure Your Journals Last (Almost) Forever

By Kate Zirkle, Founder & Executive Director of the American Diary Project

Few things in this world are more personal, unique, and rare than a diary or journal. Countless hours are devoted to documenting our lives and working through our feelings in their pages. 

Now assuming you’re not the type to burn or destroy your journals—I’m looking at you, fellow diarist with a shelf or tote full of completed diaries—you’re going to need a plan for your writing long term, especially if you want to make sure your journals last (almost) forever. 

Read on for a few key aspects to consider when crafting a plan for your journals to live on. 

Make a Plan For Your Journals

First things first, you’re going to need to decide what you want to do with your journals after you pass away. I like to simplify this choice down to two options to start.

Are you more inclined to…

1. Allow your journals to remain private within your family, or
2. Allow your journals to be professionally preserved and publicly accessible 

Option A is certainly a legitimate choice. I’ve heard countless stories of surviving family members reading through their departed loved ones’ diaries and gaining a deeper understanding of who they were. Elissa’s story of meeting her great grandmother long after she was gone is particularly moving. 

If you don’t want to leave your journals to your family members or you don’t expect to have any offspring to leave your journals to, I’m with you—a big ole “same here!” from me for option B. This is actually why I founded the American Diary Project. More on that later.

Option B is a wonderful choice if you want your journals to live on and have folks in the future read them. You see the value in sharing your unique perspective on life and the many experiences, some grand and some bland, that made up your life. You know that there will never be a moment in time quite like now and those in the future will be deeply curious about what life was like for us.  

Organizations That Will Accept and Archive Journals

If option B seems appealing to you, there are a few organizations that will accept and archive journals. Let’s take a look at three possibilities.  

1. American Diary Project
   As I mentioned earlier, I founded the American Diary Project in October of 2022 with one simple vision: Rescue diaries and preserve the writing of everyday Americans. We are proud to be a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, offering a permanent home for diaries to ensure the stories within them are not lost.

   As an avid journaler myself, I echo the sentiments of Barbara, one of many who chose to contribute a diary to the collection, “It’s so comforting to realize that the American Diary Project has our backs, that there is a repository for the every-man’s common diaries.”

2. The Great Diary Project
   The Great Diary Project began in 2007, created by Dr. Irving Finkel and Dr. Polly North and now residing at Bishopsgate Institute. They are the largest diary archive in Europe with more than 19,000 unpublished diaries. They were absolutely the inspiration for the American Diary Project and a wonderful option for diaries written in or about Europe.
3. Local historical societies
   Many cities have local historical societies that are dedicated to preserving the history of their region. They typically only accept diaries written by local members of the community and are often limited in what they accept by their available shelf space.   

Add Your Journals to Your Will

Now that you’ve decided between essentially private vs. public preservation, it’s time to document your wishes. Since none of us know when we will ultimately leave this earth, creating a will is the best way to ensure your wishes are respected no matter when your time comes.

Do you have a will?

1. Yes
2. No 

If you already have an existing will, take the time to get it updated with your wishes for your journals. 

If you do not yet have a will, make one—as soon as you can. I imagine that sounds daunting if you’ve never created a will but thankfully there are many resources online to help you create your last will and testament. Be sure to get it notarized if your state or local law requires it. While you’re at it, It never hurts to seek out the advice of a legal professional.

Once you’ve created a will, review it occasionally and keep it updated if things change. Also, share your will with your loved ones so they understand your wishes. 

Preservation Tips to Make Sure Your Journals Last (almost) Forever

Now that you have a plan, let’s keep your journals safe until it’s time to part with them. 

Drawing from my experience preserving diaries for the American Diary Project, I recommend following the handling and storage guidelines outlined by The Library of Congress as much as possible.

Here are a few preservation tips…

• Store journals upright inside unsealed polyethylene bags (journals need to breathe!)
• Store each bagged journal in a quality acid-free archival box
• Store similar-sized journals together to provide maximum support and prevent warping
• Store boxes in a temperature-controlled, dry room
• Avoid storing in a hot attic or musty basement
• Keep journals away from sunlight to prevent discoloration and fading
• Do not use paper clips or “dog ear” folding to mark pages
• Avoid using rubber bands, tape, and glue (including sticky notes) on journals

If all those tips seem overwhelming, no worries, keep it simple and follow the one golden rule: never store journals in a place where they could be easily damaged by their environment.

Bonus tip: Keep a copy of your will with your journals to make it easy for your next of kin to honor your wishes.

One Final Thought

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to highlight just how different the world would be if not for preserved diaries. 

Aren’t we lucky that diaries from people like Anne Frank, Leonardo da Vinci, and Marie Curie were not lost to the march of time? While they are famous now, at the time of their writing, they were simply capturing and documenting their thoughts, dreams, and lived experiences—just like you and me.

Your story, your experience, matters. Preserve it.