Here are two possible solutions to your problem of obtaining legible copies: 1. When photocopying old paper (especially newspaper clippings) results in very dark copies and bleed through from the reverse side, set the lighter/darker setting on the copier to a much lighter setting. The paper will not appear in the copies, but the ink will. 2. Try a digital camera. The original shot may not be very clear, but you can use photo-processing software to adjust the contrast, or turn the image into black and white and eliminate the clutter manually. If you don't have a digital camera you can accomplish the same effect by scanning a photocopied image, and working on it with a program like Microsoft Picture-It which comes bundled on many new computers. To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html