iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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"smokey stevenson" @kurtblumenau.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

#AskAnArchivist Has your fingertip ever appeared in a scanned document? Do you ever do that on purpose just as an Easter egg for future researchers?

Screen grab from newspapers dot com showing an archivist’s finger holding down the edge of the newspaper. Can’t remember what paper it was

Boston Archives and Records@archives.boston.gov

Today is #AskAnArchivist Day! Do you have questions for us? We'd love to hear them!

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rorasaurus.bsky.social @rorasaurus.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

I asked my colleagues and answers ranged from "only if I can't find the paperweights" to "on purpose yes if my nails look nice" #AskAnArchivist

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Boston Archives and Records @archives.boston.gov · 14/10/2026

Thank you for your question! We try to not capture our fingertips in document scans. We have pillow weights that we use to help keep documents flat when we scan or photograph them. You can see a few of the weights holding a sheet of building plans in this photo!

Four small black pillow weights holding flat a sheet of building plans labeled 221 Tremont Street.

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