7 Jun
2007
7 Jun
'07
5:20 p.m.
At 6:06 PM -0600 6/7/07, woodelf wrote:
Scott Quinn wrote:
One thing you can do is store the books in tightly sealed plastic
bags - the browning on the paper is caused by oxygen in the air...the
pages are actually oxidizing slooooowwwwllllly (very slow fire).
Check with your local public library for suggestions on how to
protect old paper - you can make a base solution mixture for misting
the pages to neutralize the remaining acid in the paper.
John :-#)#
Moisture is a problem only if it's really high
(mold predominantly,
although sizing can soften and stick pages together). The big
problem with many paperbacks is the so-called "high acid" paper
with appreciable quantities of lignin in it - the lignin changes
into acid and causes the paper to self-destruct. Think yellowing,
crumbling paperbacks...
Umm ... DEC's paperbacks.
I'm not sure what the paper of choice for
databooks is, generally
if a book uses sized bond paper it's not at highest risk, but for
the most part wood paper made before the '80s will have some degree
of risk (and more modern papers that are not acid-free archival
grade).
So can anything be done for them?
>LOC (Library of Congress) has a fairly large group devoted to this
>problem, and a process fior neutralization that works pretty well
>(although if you do it wrong or make a mistake stuff bursts into
>flame). They point out that it is "not recommended for those who
>are not professionals".