Preservation of Paper Based Materials: Mass Deacidification Methods and Projects

摘要

When I was first asked to update my 1979 Library Journal paper on massdeacidification processes, I thought it would be simple. I could just write"nothing's happened," and go on my way, or just say "there's not yet agood process" and leave it at that. But I found that there is still a lot ofcontroversy regarding deacidification within the preservation profession.In the first month of research into new developments in mass deacidification,I heard or read "morpholine is the only viable process," "I looked atthe Canadian Archives project, it looks great," "diethyl zinc is the only wayto go," "VPD is the best method of deacidification." I began quickly torealize that the issue has not been settled and probably won't be for sometime. My other thought, that nothing has happened since 1979, 1 found wasalso not true. There have been several developments; two of the threeprocesses are being tested right now, and information will soon be availableon their efficacy and licensing for commercial use. I know that this hasbeen said for years, and it may be several more years before one is commerciallyavailable, but no longer because diere is not a viable workingprocess. We are still in a transitional stage, nothing is yet in an actualoperational phase.