Papers given at the International Conference Save Paper, 15-17 February 2006, Swiss National Library Editors: Agnes Blüher, Gabriela Grossenbacher Assistant Editor: Gerhard Banik Acknowledgements The editors wish to thank all those who have assisted with the editing and produc- tion of this volume, in particular Simone Schär, Simon Schmid and Hanspeter Andres. © The contributors 2006 First published 2006 by Swiss National Library Hallwylstrasse 15 3003 Bern Switzerland online: www.snl.admin.ch ISBN 3-9523188-1-7 ISBN 978-3-9523188-1-2 Cover Design: The Swiss National Library Reproduction Service. Paper copies available. Contents INTRODUCTION by Marie-Christine Doffey and Elena Balzardi CHAPTER 1: MASS DEACIDIFICATION – CUSTOMER’S OPINIONS 4 INTRODUCTION 7 Paper deacidification as a measure for preserving originals by Gabriela Grossenbacher 21 Paper deacidification and quality control at the Central and Regional Li- brary Berlin by Annette Gerlach 37 The Bookkeeper process and its application in the National Library of the Netherlands (KB) by Henk Porck 43 Mass deacidification at the North Rhine-Westphalia State Archives – ex- perience with the Neschen process by Marcus Stumpf CHAPTER 2: PRESERVATION POLICY – DECISIONS 58 INTRODUCTION 59 The collection care strategy of a medium-sized archive by Regula Nebiker 63 Strategies for mass preservation treatment by Helen Shenton 75 Research on paper deacidification in Slovakia by Jozef Hanus, Svetozár Katuščák, Michal Čeppan, Vladimír Bukovský, Jozef Rychlý, Emília Hanusová, Jarmila Mináriková, Zuzana Szabóová CHAPTER 3: SAVE PAPER – ACTUAL RESEARCH 92 INTRODUCTION 94 Current efforts to establish an effective quality management for mass deacidification by Gerhard Banik, Thorsten Doering and Ulrike Hähner i Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch 111 New strategies in chemical analysis of pulp and paper by Antje Potthast and Ute Henniges 127 Strengthening of paper by aminosilanes by Hervé Cheradame CHAPTER 4: PAPERSAVE SWISS 145 INTRODUCTION 147 The evaluation process – a long story by Erwin Oberholzer 153 papersave swiss process, operation and quality by Markus Reist 163 papersave swiss – effects on fungi by Hanspeter Andres 176 Bookbinding leather in the papersave swiss process by René Larsen, Jan Wouters, Frédérique Juchault and Agnes Blüher 191 The alcaline reserve – a key element in paper deacidification by Agnes Blüher CONFERENCE PROGRAMME ii Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch Introduction Marie-Christine Doffey and Elena Balzardi By the end of 2005 the Swiss National Library held 3.7 million documents, the main part being Helvetica publications, meaning publications written by a Swiss author, published by a Swiss publisher or containing information about Switzerland. Our institution is somehow special, because we are one of the few national libraries that lends certain categories of holdings to customers for consultation at home. Being an institution founded at the end of the 19th century, the Swiss National Li- brary has a large amount of acidic paper in its collection. During a major reorganiza- tion in the 1990s, the Swiss National Library’s Preservation Department was estab- lished. Prior to this there was only a bookbindery, and our efforts in the field of conservation of collections were limited. Since 1992, we have been constantly ex- panding our activities with regard to preservation. Today, we have already achieved some of our goals, while others still need a lot of attention. We have observed that awareness with regard to preservation issues has gained importance not only in the library, but also in the appreciation of the Swiss Federal Government and the Swiss Parliament. We feel that this is a good and secure basis for future developments. In 2000, following an initiative of the Swiss Federal Archives and the Swiss Na- tional Library, the Swiss Confederation built the paper deacidification plant in Wimmis. The building cost was CHF 13.5 million, and the plant is now privately run by Nitrochemie Wimmis AG. After testing the installation in 2000, serious pro- duction started in 2001, and up to the end of 2005, 435.5 tons of Swiss National Library and Swiss Federal Archive goods, about 13 shelf kilometres, were deacidi- fied. The "Save Paper! conference" was organized by the Swiss National Library and its specialist for paper deacidification, Dr. Agnes Blüher, together with the Head of the Preservation and Conservation Department, Gabriela Grossenbacher. Over seventy attendees from fourteen countries gathered together to present and discuss the possi- bilities and challenges of mass deacidification. We would like to thank all of them for their invaluable contributions. 1 Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch We would also like to express our thanks to the Swiss Federal Archives and its di- rector, Andreas Kellerhals. The Swiss Federal Archives is our partner in the paper deacidification program and it also supported this conference. Our thanks also go to Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, and in particular to director Beat Steuri and his staff, who run the papersave swiss deacidification program. We espe- cially appreciated the good partnership and the constant will to improve the process. The present conference proceedings contain the conference contributions, arranged into chapters, each with a short introduction. We hope that it will serve the profes- sional community as a state-of-the-art document in the field of mass deacidification and its future perspectives. We further hope that this publication will contribute to the efforts towards preserv- ing the world’s written heritage. 2 Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch Authors’ addresses Marie-Christine Doffey Director Swiss National Library Hallwylstrasse 15 3003 Bern Switzerland Phone: +41 31 322 89 01 Fax: +41 31 322 84 63 E-mail: [email protected] Elena Balzardi Head of the Collection Department Swiss National Library Hallwylstrasse 15 3003 Bern Switzerland Phone: +41 31 322 89 48 Fax: +41 31 322 84 63 E-mail: [email protected] 3 Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch 1 MASS DEACIDIFICATION - CUSTOMER’S OPINIONS Introduction Mass deacidification as a measure for safeguarding originals has been a discussion topic for over thirty years and remains of current interest. Much research has been carried out, and numerous processes have been developed and subsequently aban- doned. Today, at least five true paper deacidification processes, in ten different variations, and offered by seven different companies in Europe, the United States of America and Canada, are in use. All the processes are based on the use of alkaline magne- sium compounds. They can be sub-divided into aqueous and non-aqueous liquid- phase processes (Bückeburger Verfahren, papersave™, CSC-Booksaver™), and “dry” processes (Libertec™/SOBU, Bookkeeper™). In this context, mass deacidifi- cation treatment includes machine processes for handling larger quantities of bound or unbound library and archive materials. To be considered as a mass process, the maximum price for treating a 500g-book was set at EUR 25, and that for a double page of archival material at EUR 0.5. The following Table shows an overview of the mass deacidification processes cur- rently in use, together with their main characteristics (see also table 1, p.98). The Bookkeeper process is the only one used in the USA and Canada, whereas in Europe, various ones find use. In general, the main users are the bigger libraries and archives, especially national institutions or universities. In this chapter, representatives of libraries and archives with experience in the most widely known mass deacidification treatments, such as the papersave swiss- treatment, the CSC Booksaver™-process, the Bookkeeper-process™ and the Ne- schen company’s Bückeburger treatment for modern archival goods, give their opin- ions. 4 Conference SAVE PAPER 2006 www.snl.admin.ch 5 Chapter 1-Introduction: Current mass deacidification processes and their features Conference SAVEPAPE Process Libertec® / SOBU Bookkeeper® Papersave® / papersave CSC Booksaver® Bückeburger Konservie- swiss rungsverfahren für moder- nes Archivgut Operating Libertec Bibliotheken- Preservation Technology ZFB Zentrum für Bucher- Conservacion de Hans Neschen AG, Archiv- company dienst GmbH, L.P., Cranberry, (U.S.A.) haltung, Leipzig (D) Sustratos Cellulosicos center, Bückeburg (D) Nürnberg (D) (CSC), Barcelona (ES) Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, R 2006 www.snl.admin.ch SOBU Sonder-maschi- Wimmis (CH) Preservation Academy, nenbau und Buchentsäue- Leipzig (D) rung, Nürnberg (D) Locations Nürnberg (D) Cranberry (U.S.A.), Leipzig, Frankfurt (D), Bilbao (ES) Bückeburg, Berlin, Kornwest- Heerhugowaard (NL), Wimmis (CH) Leipzig (D), St. Peters- heim, Köln/Brauweiler (D); Gatineau (CA), Poland burg (Russia) Poland, Russia Start of operations 1996/2001 1994 1994/1996/2000 2001/2003 1998/2001/2004 (first/following generations) Deacidification Calcium carbonate and Magnesium oxide Magnesium titanium alk- Carbonated magnesium- magnesium bicarbonate agent magnesium oxide oxide propylate Solvent none perfluoroalkane hexamethyldisiloxane propanol + heptafluoro- water (HMDO) pentane (HFC 227) Additives surfactant Fixation of soluble dyes through polyionic agents; methylcellulose strengthening 6 Chapter 1-Introduction: Table continued Conference SAVEPAPE Process Libertec® / SOBU Bookkeeper® Papersave® / paper- CSC Booksaver® Bückeburger Konser- save swiss vierungsverfahren für modernes Archivgut Procedure Fanning out the book