garret@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP (Trisha O Tuama) (07/15/84)
***** > Does anyone have any information on how to go about preserving/archiving > paperback books? The problem is acid-based paper (as several other people have noted) which is a 20th century phenomenon and true bane of the librarian's existence. There are several things you can do: 1) put all your books in plastic bags and store them away in special acid-free cardboard boxes (this merely slows down the process, however) 2) apply one of the several types of preserving admixtures -- most are simply sprayed on both sides of each individual page (expensive and time-consuming) 3) insert special acid-free paper (ie, the method someone else mentioned for comic books) (also expensive and time-consuming) Buying hard-bound books won't solve your problem as most of them are printed on the same type of paper. Books do last longer in rooms that are kept cool (60 degrees F) with fairly high humidity; be sure to keep your books as clean as possible and try not to handle them when your hands are greasy or dirty. You might want to select only those books in your collection that are relatively rare (ie, out-of- print, etc.) or which mean a great deal to you, for special preservation treatment. For more information you could try writing: The Lakeside Press R. R. Donnelley & Sons 2223 S. Martin Luther King Drive Chicago, IL 60616 Donnelley has a specialized laboratory for research work in book preservation. I don't know if they sell materials to individuals, but maybe they can tell you where else to try. The Library of Congress used to sell/give away a pamphlet series on materials preservation (books, records, music, etc.), so you might want to consider writing them as well ("Library of Congress, Wash- ington, DC" is all the address you should need). I work as a library consultant and just now I'm reorganzing a medical research library that has lain dormant for most of ten years, so I get to spend each day with the miracle of acid-based paper. Personally, I think micro-fiche is the wave of the future. But that's a whole different subject. Hope this helps, Trisha (not Marian) the Librarian