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Mass-scale recovery of endangered archival records from the XIX and XX centuries - experience from 8 years of the "Acid Paper" governmental program in Poland
code:
142
Jul 24
16:00 - 17:00
Speaker:
CZAJKA, Anna
Room:
401
Description
Language(s) of presentations:
English
Abstract:

The government-funded program entitled “Acid Paper: Mass-Scale Recovery of Endangered Polish Library and Archival Collections” has been underway in Poland since 2000 and will end in 2008. The program was initiated through a coalition of the Polish State Archives, the National Library, and Jagiellonian University in Krakow. The program’s main goal was to start mass-scale deacidification and microfilming of endangered 19th and 20th century holdings in Poland. Among the program’s diverse tasks were:

  • a preservation assessment survey on archives, various scientific studies,
  • setting up mass deacidification labs (2 Book Keeper and 6 C900 installations),
  • modernizing microfilming facilities, and
  • developing digitization projects.
The presentation provides a summary of practical experiences related to different aspects of the program and projects carried out during the past 6 years, including research studies and preservation assessment surveys. It will also cover organizational issues and problems encountered in the decision making processes of large scale preservation programs. Results of selected research studies and surveys will be provided. The “Acid Paper” programme was a difficult and complex operation and had both its successes and its failures. The last year of the program provides a good opportunity to summarize experiences and share them with the international community.
Target audience:
Professionals involved in preservation management and planning of large scale and long term programs, conservators and restorers of archival material, archivists concerned with degradation of archival documents.
Overall purpose and significance of session:
The session aims to share experience gained in carrying out a large scale preservation program. Topics such as financial planning, cooperation between different institutions, research methodology and results, and costs of different project components could be of interest to professionals involved in preservation management and planning of large scale, long term programs.
Content description:

The government-funded programme entitled “Acid Paper. Mass-Scale Recovery of Endangered Polish Library and Archival Collections” has been underway in Poland since 2000. The programme’s main participating organizations are the Head Office of State Archives (comprising four state archives) and the National Library in Warsaw. Other participants in the programme include: the Jagiellonian Library and University in Cracow, the Nicholaus Copernicus University in Toruń, and the Institute of Cellulose and Paper in Łódź.

The programme’s main goal is to start mass-scale deacidification of endangered 19th and 20th century holdings in Poland. This goal has been successfully pursued since 2003, resulting in the largest concentration of mass deacidification facilities in one country in Europe.

At present, two Bookkeeper installations have been purchased and are now fully operational, as well as six C-900 apparatuses from the Neschen company for deacidifying sheet documents. In each of the 6 mass conservation laboratories, the most damaged documents are restored and straightened following deacidification. In the first years of the programme various research projects focused on preservation issues were carried out. One of the programme’s main tasks was a preservation assessment of 19th and 20th century holdings in libraries and archives.

The survey was carried out in three archives and five libraries. Additional studies were focused on the microbiological aspects of preservation and mass conservation, including a study on air contamination in document cleaning areas.

Moreover a specialized research lab was up at the Chemistry Department of Jagiellonian University in Cracov. The lab is fully equipped and staffed for research focused on stability and degradation processes of paper, conservation methods, and effectiveness assessment of diverse mass deacidification technologies.

In the framework of the program, Polish State Archives are carrying out a broad action of microfilming and digitizing the archival record from the XIX and XX centuries. This microfilming and digitization program focuses on preserving information from documents in particularly bad condition. The “Acid Paper” Programme already started to give measurable effects: millions of single sheet documents and books have been deacidified, strengthened and properly preserved in envelopes and boxes made from materials with alkaline reserve. In the last year of the program, the Polish State Archives expect to fully synchronize digitization and deacidification of selected collections.

The “Acid Paper” programme was a unique and particularly instructive experience on the management, technical and the organizational levels.


Development, Presentation