
Place says a lot about a person’s identity. It fills in our knowledge gaps about people that would otherwise take time to fill in.
Whether or not we spend time actively considering place and its impact on our identity, it is something we all feel. We are connected to the architecture and historical objects of the places we spend our lives. It explains why artifacts are important to us today and why museums exist.
OHS Research Library Collection
Portland-based interior storm window manufacturer, Indow, knows the impact of place and the importance of preservation. Indow helps preserve history throughout North America by providing modern solutions to old windows. For its latest preservation project, Indow created 123 Museum Grade inserts for the Oregon Historical Society Research Library in downtown Portland.
The Oregon Historical Society Research Library is home to 32,000 books, millions of feet of film, and countless photographs. Among their collection are 500 artifacts from the Oregon Trail period. Their window issues were two-fold: the 4th-floor library’s 123 windows allowed in damaging UV radiation and cold drafts. The solution was Museum Grade Indow inserts.

Defending History Against UV Radiation
Museum Grade blocks 98% of harmful UV radiation. It also delivers a 99% airtight seal in your window frame. For this reason, it was the perfect solution for OHS Research Library in preserving their old books and other artifacts.
“We chose Museum Grade Indow inserts to protect our library’s collection of unique and rare materials from damaging UV light passing through our unique, mid-century, floor-to-ceiling windows. We also anticipate increased comfort and energy efficiency.”
Museum Grade inserts can extend the life of floors by up to 15 years even. Old books and other valuable items that are not placed directly next to windows will be preserved for much longer.
With buildings, “historic” and “energy inefficiency” go hand in hand. The solution is simple: retrofit a building’s windows with interior storm window inserts. This helps the windows perform at the same level of new windows without harming the building’s historic value.
The OHS Research Library is the home of Oregon’s history. Its millions of unique items attract a wide range of visitors. With Indow Museum Grade inserts in place to block drafts and UV radiation, OHS ensures that students and researchers will remain comfortable when visiting the space, and that there will be well-preserved items to visit for a long time to come.
Download our Commercial Resource Packet to see our product performance data and a comprehensive report on CSI specifications and architectural diagrams.
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- Preserving Oregon History with Museum Grade Inserts

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