Book Preservation Technologies May 1988 NTIS order #PB88-212410 ARCHIVES COPY DO NOT REMOVE FROM LIBRARY — Recommended Citation: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Book Preservation Technologies, OTA- 0-375 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, May 1988). Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 88-600521 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (order form can be found in the back of this report) Foreword Even in today’s high-tech society, books are the principal records of human civiliza- tion. Over the centuries, books have become the most reliable and permanent records avail- able, but, in the last century, that reliability has been threatened by the use of ‘modern, acidic paper that becomes brittle and unusable in a relatively short time. Books printed since 1850 are deteriorating en masse in libraries the world over. Nowhere is this problem more severe than in the U.S. Library of Congress; a major preservation program address- ing it was initiated in the early 1970s. The Library’s mass deacidification process is now being tested at a pilot plant, and planning is underway to design and construct a full-scale facility that could treat about 1 million books each year. This assessment analyzes the problem of acid deterioration of books and the program underway at the Library of Congress. The program at the Library involves the chemical treatment of books in a unique and effective process that, however, also presents some new engineering and safety concerns. Because of these concerns, the House of Representa- tives Committee on Appropriations requested this independent review of the Library’s system and other available or potential processes. OTA has evaluated the Library’s proc- ess and program with a focus on effectiveness and safety, and compared it to available alternatives. OTA has also developed information and analyses useful to other major libraries in the Nation that are faced with the same problem of preserving valuable books and papers. OTA is grateful for the assistance provided by the assessment advisory panel, work- shop participants, and other consultants, and acknowledges the full cooperation of the Li- brary of Congress in responding to requests for information, arranging meetings with its consultants, and reviewing materials. OTA also appreciates the efforts made by the de- velopers of other deacidification processes to make available the most up-to-date information. U JOHN H. GIBBONS Director . Ill -- — . —. Book Preservation Technologies Advisory Panel James J. Stukel, Chairman University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois Norbert S. Baer Carolyn Harris New York University Columbia University George Bierkamper Robert M. Hayes School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles University of Nevada Jerry Lott Helen Burgess University Technologists, Inc. Canadian Conservation Institute Thomas H. Magness III George M. Cunha EBASCO Services, Inc. Conservation Consultant G. Larry Eitel Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. NOTE: OTA appreciates and is grateful for the valuable assistance and thoughtful critiques provided by the advisory panel members. The panel does not, however, necessarily approve, disapprove, or endorse this report. OTA assumes full responsibility for the report and the accuracy of its contents. iv OTA Book Preservation Technologies Project Staff John Andelin, Assistant Director, OTA Science, Information, and Natural Resources Division Robert M. Niblock, Oceans and Environment Program Manager Peter Johnson, Project Director Project Staff Joan Ham, Analyst John Moteff, Analyst Contractor David N.S. Hon Administrative Staff Kathleen A. Beil Sally W. Van Aller —. Acknowledgments The following individuals and organizations provided special assistance and advice to OTA in this study by participating in workshops, providing information and analyses, demonstrating equipment and processes, or re- viewing and commenting on OTA draft reports. Jean-Marie Arnoult Yashpal P. Kathpalia Bibliotheque Nationale George B. Kelly, Jr. Gerhard Banik Terry O. Norris Osterreichischer Nationalbibliothek Edwin Parks Scott Bennett National Bureau of Standards Northwestern University Library U.S. Department of Commerce Gregor R. Campbell Donald K. Sebera Interleaf, Inc. Library of Congress Homer Carhart Hillary M. Sharpe The Naval Research Lab B.G. Robertson Laboratories, Ltd. D.W.G. Clements Subhas Sikdar The British Library National Bureau of Standards Thomas P. Commeau U.S. Department of Commerce Champion International Corp. Richard D. Smith Robert Faltynek Wei T’o Associates, Inc. National Bureau of Standards Peter G. Sparks U.S. Department of Commerce Library of Congress Howard H. Fawcett Richard E. Spatz K.F. Foster NASA Goddard Space Flight Center National Archives of Canada Princeton University Library Sy H. Friedman Library of Congress S & B Engineers, Inc. Susan D. Kamp Texas Alkyls, Inc. EBASCO Services, Inc. vi Contents Page Introduction . 1 Part I: The Library of Congress Mass Deacidification Program . 9 Chapter 1. Overview . 13 Chapter 2. The DEZ Process and its Development . 23 Chapter3. Effectiveness of the DEZ Process . 37 Chapter 4. Costs . 51 Chapter 5. Safety . 59 Chapter 6. Health and Environment Effects . 77 Part II: Comparison of Alternatives for Book Preservation & Deacidification . 83 Chapter 7. Alternatives . 87 Appendix A. Definition of Tems . .................107 Appendix B. Library of Congress’ Operating Cost Estimates for Full-Scale Mass Deacidification Facility, November 1987 . .. ...109 Appendix C. Library of Congress’ Capital Cost Estimates for Full-Scale Mass Deacidification Facility, November 1987 . .. ....112 Appendix D. Suggestions for Standard Paper Testing for Deacidification Quality Control by National Bureau of Standards, 1987 . ..,.116 Appendix E. List of Papers and Presentations on the DEZ Process by the Staff of the Library of Congress From 1974-86 . ..........117 vii .. Introduction PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY Millions of books at the Library of Congress and other libraries around the world are deteriorating. What Is The Library of Congress? Many books published since the mid- 1800s are cur- ● The largest center for information storage in the rently, or will soon become, too fragile to handle. world. The paper these books are written on becomes brittle ● Collections include 19 million volumes and 58 over time and crumbles. The primary cause of this million pieces of stored data on phonograph deterioration is acid. Chemicals used in the manu- records, motion picture reels, computer tapes, facture of paper from wood pulp, which stay in the manuscripts, maps, prints, and photographs. paper, convert to a variety of acids and slowly de- ● Three Canons of Selection established in the stroy the strength of the paper’s fibers over time. 1940s to define the collections: —materials necessary to the Congress and to Other factors such as oxidation, varying or extreme the U.S. Government officers in performance temperature and humidity, exposure to light, air of their duties; pollutants in storage areas, and the amount of use —materials that express and record the life and also contribute to the destruction of the books. achievements of the people of the United States; and The Library of Congress has been working to —records of other societies and peoples, espe- solve the problem of acid paper in books since the cially those of most immediate concern to the early 1970s, developing a mass deacidification proc- people of the United States. ess that would inhibit the deterioration of book pa- ● Less than 25 percent of the collection is in per. About 25 percent of the 14 million books at English. the Library of Congress are too brittle for normal ● Serves five audiences: use. The main purpose of the Library of Congress 1. Congress— Library provides research sup- program is to preserve and extend the life of paper port, policy analysis, and training through materials before they reach this brittle, unusable the Congressional Research Service; condition. This would involve deacidification of new 2. professional library world—Library provides materials coming into their collection as well as ex- cataloging and other bibliographic services and leadership on library technology; isting materials not yet damaged beyond use. 3. executive agencies—Library provides infor- Other libraries and researchers have also worked mation resources; on this problem and small-scale processes are in use. 4. scholars—Library provides research collec- The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the tions and support; and appropriateness of the system under development 5. creative world—Library protects products and preserves traditions. by the Library of Congress and compare it to other SOURCE Charles A. Goodrum and Helen M’ Dalrvmplc, 7-he I.]hr.+r} [)/ available or potential processes. Although this re- Congress (Boulder, CO Westvlev Press, 1%32), p ‘?37 port focuses mainly on the Library of Congress, it will hopefully assist the library community, in general, with decisions on how to cope with the acid by George M. Cunha, published in Library Tech- book problem. Another recent report on this sub- nology Reports of the American Library Asso- ject is titled ‘‘Mass Deacidification for Libraries’ ciation. THE ACID BOOK PROBLEM The problem of acid deterioration of library books recently developed wood pulping processes. 1 Dur- and other assets is not new. In 1898, an interna- IK. G. Schmude, “Can Library Collections Survive? The Problem