Library Policy for Preservation and Conservation in the European Community: Principles, Practices and the Contribution of New Information Technologies [Reprint 2012 ed.] 9783111522678, 9783598107665

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This publication is based on a report prepared under contract for the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation, by Alexander Wilson, as a part of a programme of studies on libraries.

Commission of the European Communities Library Policy for Preservation and Conservation in the European Community Principles, Practices and the Contribution of New Information Technologies Alexander Wilson

KG-Saur München-New York-London-Paris EUR 11563

Publication No. EUR 11563 of the Commission of the European Communities, Dircctorate-General Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation, Luxembourg

LEGAL NOTICE Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information.

CIP-Titelaufnahme der Deutschen Bibliothek Wilson, Alexander: Library policy for preservation and conservation in the European Community : principles, practices, and the contribution of new information technologies / Alexander Wilson. Comm. of the European Communities. - München ; New York ; London ; Paris : Saur, 1988 ISBN 3-598-10766-8

© ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1988 Publisher: K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, München (Member of the international Butterworth-Group, London) Typesetted by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow, UK Printed/Bound by Bcltz Offsetdruck, Hemsbach Federal Republic of Germany ISBN 3-598-10766-8

PREFACE

This report is one of a number of EC-wide studies on libraries which the European Commission has launched since 1986, in the wake of a Resolution adopted by the Council of Ministers of the European Community with responsibility for Cultural Affairs. The Resolution places emphasis on the need for proper application of the new technologies in libraries, increased cost-effective cooperative efforts at Community level and greater harmonization of library initiatives between Member States, in order to enhance access for users across Europe to the wealth of information resources contained in libraries. The importance of the issue of preservation and conservation of library materials, its significance for Europe and even the sheer size of the problem, are increasingly recognized internationally by professionals. This is an area where the criteria of the Resolution cited above apply par excellence and where, therefore, an investigation at Community level of on-going initiatives and policies and of the state of the art of available new information technologies would indeed be useful. The Commission was fortunate that at this time Mr. A. Wilson, whose commitment and whose work in increasing public awareness to the need for action in this field are well-known both nationally (in the UK) and internationally, was willing to undertake this study on retiring from his post as Director General of the Reference Division of the British Library. The study, which gives more data on EC countries than has ever been brought together hitherto on the subject (and also takes into account pertinent trans-Atlantic developments), has relevance beyond the purpose for which it was originally comissioned. March 1988

Ariane Iljon Commission of the European Communities Information Industry and Market Directorate (DGX1II/B)

CONTENTS

Abstract Introduction Setting the scene Moving towards action Co-operative and large-scale solutions Mass format conversion technologies Micrographic media Microfilm preservation programmes Optical media Library archival and publishing applications of optical media Mass deacidification and bulk paper strengthening Permanent paper The preservation of non-book materials Education training and awareness campaigns

8 9 11 15 21 24 27 30 36 41 49 53 56 58

The Unesco/IFLA/ICA enquiry Policies and developments in EEC countries France Italy United Kingdom West Germany Belgium Denmark Ireland Luxembourg The Netherlands Portugal Conclusions and recommendations

61 64 66 85 90 110 124 126 128 130 131 134 136

References

141 7

ABSTRACT

This is a study of current policy and practice on conservation and preservation in the libraries of EEC countries, giving American experience for comparison. The report reviews the preservation scene on a world-wide basis, noting developments in mass deacidifìcation, cooperative microfilming, and the application of optical technology to libraries and archives. Campaigns for the use of 'permanent' paper in new books, education and training of conservators, the preservation content of library education, and awareness measures are other topics. The second part is a survey of preservation needs and provision by country. Striking similarities are noted, as well as differences of approach determined by the structure and organisation of each library system, the distribution of early book collections, and the state of development of library services. Preservation resources are grossly inadequate. No country has a national policy and structure for preservation. The vital link between preservation and access is not seen. The Commission are recommended to assist national and international cooperation in microfilming, mass treatment, and R and D; also on education and training, stock surveys, and permanent paper and awareness campaigns. Account was taken of relevant published literature and of important sources in press up to March 1987. In addition visits were made to Italy, France, Germany and Belgium to find out at first hand the background and current situation there.

8

1. INTRODUCTION

1 The remit was to survey current policy and practice on conservation and preservation in the libraries of Member States, to ascertain the needs, and to suggest what could be done to improve the situation, especially by the use of new technology and cooperative action, giving American experience for comparison.

2 The report first reviews the preservation scene on a world-wide basis, points to the causes of damage and decay and stresses the enormous scale of the threat to the cultural heritage and to the preservation of information in modern publications. A state of the art report is given on mass deacidification, cooperative microfilming programmes, and applications of optical technology in the library and archival field. Campaigns for the use of 'permanent' paper in new book production are discussed. The education and training of conservators, the conservation and preservation content of library education, and awareness measures are other topics.

3 The second part is a review of preservation needs and provision on a country by country basis, drawing (by kind permission) on the contemporaneous IFLA/ICA enquiry sponsored by Unesco, but mainly relying on documentation, replies to a postal questionnaire, telephone calls and meetings at conferences and seminars. Visits were paid to institutions in Belgium, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and West Germany; also the USA and Canada. 9

4 There are striking similarities between countries, as well as differences of approach determined by the structure and organisation of each library system, the historic distribution of old and rare library materials, and the state of development of library services. Everywhere, librarians are aware of the preservation threat, but the resources required to meet it are grossly inadequate. Since 1980, major enquiries have been held in France (Desgardes), the UK (Ratcliffe) and West Germany (Fabian). IFLA launched a new Core Program in preservation during 1986, in the course of the important conference organised by CDNL at Vienna. But the position is nowhere quantified or costed , nor has any country a national policy and structure for preservation. There is a striking contrast between the anxiety of leading librarians and the indifference or ignorance shown by the mass of the profession and by governments, library users and the general public. The vital link between preservation and access is not recognised.

5 Recommendations are: to support the efforts of Unesco and IFLA, and to support as appropriate national, regional and local dimensions to preservation policy and planning. The Commission should assist in the setting up of national coordinating mechanisms and facilitate supranational cooperation: in systematic microfilming, the creation of an online register of master microforms, and in R and D, e.g., mass deacidification and the use of videodiscs. The feasibility of regional treatment centres should be examined. Publishers and paper manufacturers should be approached about permanent paper, and the desirability of an ISO standard investigated. Education and training and consciousness raising are elements in the main requirement - to raise resources for conservation and preservation far above the present level. The recommendations are divided into groups. The first group are related to steps that can be taken to support preservation progress at international, regional, national, and local levels. The second group refers to bibliographical control; the third to awareness and consciousness raising; and the fourth to the need for improved education and training of librarians and conservators. The important fifth group concerns measures for cooperative microfilming; for combatting acidified paper by mass methods, and for trying to get permanent paper introduced. A final miscellaneous group ranges over optical technology, regional conservation centres, R and D, preservation of non-book materials, and disaster control. Further studies are indicated: into education and training of conservators and librarians, and the preservation of non-book materials. Pilot projects should be undertaken on a master microform register, and on the use of optical media for preservation.

10

2. SETTING THE SCENE

2.1

Scale of the problem

The overwhelming scale of the preservation problem is little realised by those who have the responsibility to deal with it: governments, heads of academic and research institutions and even directors of research libraries in some cases. Vast ranges of informational material vital to our cultural heritage and to the economic and other needs of today will become unuseable long before their informational value has been superseded. This is due to a combination of factors, including poor environments, overuse, inadequate maintenance, lack of conservation knowledge and resources, and library disasters, especially floods. Unsuitable methods of modern book construction are a factor, but even more so the decay of paper in most publications since c. 1850, due to a combination of inherent acidity from the manufacturing process with atmospheric pollution.

2.2

Selection is the key

It is quite impracticable to treat more than a selection from the total library collections, concentrating on those items thought to be of the greatest future value. Even so, a realistic approach requires the maximum use of mass processes and national and international cooperation. The conservation literature, which is extensive, is very largely concerned with technical problems of hand conservation. Indeed, these are many and much more traditional conservation is needed. But the problems of mass preservation must concern us more, due to the scale of the modern literature at threat; also, the newer audio visual media bring with them preservation problems requiring new technology for their solution. Unfortunately, European libraries have little experience of such methods nor are there many examples of cooperation for preservation. 11

2.3 Differentiate conservation and preservation The terminology is confusing, due to the ambiguous use of 'preservation', to mean the retention of the informational content of a document in surrogate form and as the generic term for the whole subject. English-speaking Europeans are being converted from conservation as the generic term, to confine its meaning to treatment of originals; whilst those using Romance languages (and the German-speaking countries), employ the term 'restauration' for the treatment of originals. In this report, conservation refers to hand treatment of originals; preservation both to the whole subject and to mass conversion of texts to surrogate form.

2.4 Investment required It has been estimated (35) that in the USA alone, some $15-$20 millions per annum would be needed 'at least to try to act responsibly'. This is for a cooperative microfilming programme. Evidence from EC countries is more lacking, but in 1979 it was estimated that 800,000 volumes at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, needed treatment, whilst the British Library recently calculated that 34% of their 850,000 older books were in need of attention. There is no reason to doubt that throughout the Community many millions of books are in need of conservation.

2.5

Brittle books

It is the so-called brittle book problem which galvanised attention in the USA. These are items in urgent need of copying before they disintegrate into brown dust. Hayes has estimated, on the basis of surveys at the Library of Congress, New York Public Library and Yale University Library, c. 3.3 million volumes in US research libraries are or will become brittle and that it would take c. $400 billions to convert them into microfilm, (which seems a somewhat high figure even at American costs). The delayed impact of acidification in European libraries due to less hostile climates and the later arrival of central heating has granted them a period of grace.

2.6

All media affected

Various record-keeping professions are coming to share preservation problems with librarians: archivists, museums' curators and custodians of film and sound recording collections among them. Modern research libraries contain printed, manuscript and graphic documents and audio visual materials. Third World 12

countries have acute preservation problems arising from extreme climates, unsuitable premises, poor environments, biological infestation and poor paper. Yet they are the least equipped to cope with the problem of preservation.

2.7

Permanent paper

One bright light in a dark scene is the move to stop the rot in future by the use of so-called permanent paper. Paper manufacturers in North America, Japan and Western Europe are finding it advantageous to change to the manufacture of paper which is alkaline. American publishers are leading the way in publishing significant books on such paper. A campaign has been launched in the U K to follow suit.

2.8

The American experience

European interest, and that of international agencies has been aroused, a generation and more after the Americans started their efforts. There are lessons to be learned from the American experience, and strength from cooperation with them, as was demonstrated at the Vienna Conference on the preservation of library materials, April 1986, at which the I F L A core program on preservation was launched. Seeking to explain the American lead, apart from the obvious threat of brittle books, there are the factors of a common continental language, existing online bibliographic facilities across the nation and funding from public and private foundations. None of this is to gainsay the drive and sophistication of American librarians. In the Community, the initiatives have come mainly from France and the UK, also West Germany, and between them. Now there is this interest from the Commission.

2.9

Preservation and access

A critical question arises: does the decay of library collections really matter? Will printed materials not give way in time to electronic technology? Put so naively, the question is easy to answer: our research libraries contain a sizeable proportion of the record of human civilisation, which will not become obsolete, or be converted into other formats in the case of heritage items. A more pertinent issue is that greater investment in conservation and preservation must be seen to contribute to improved access to the materials. Significantly, The Council on Library Resources have entitled their new strategic body the Preservation and Access Commission. This points strongly towards the use of surrogate methods which are capable of replication and dissemina13

tion. Heritage items would of course be conserved by traditional methods. What resources are devoted to preservation in Europe are very much aimed at conservation of originals. Microfilming is expensive and cooperation entails adherence to standards. There will be reluctance to move towards mass copying to microform, but moneys provided at the national and international level should be directed at cooperative schemes which improve access.

2.10 Desiderata for cooperation Stam (1) has perceived a growing awareness of preservation problems in the international library community: 1986 being a significant year with activity by Unesco, IFLA, ICA, the Congress of Europe, and the Conference of Directors of National Libraries. It is particularly important for the EC to collaborate with North America, also participating fully in the more general programmes. Already the British Library has a dedicated electronic link to the Research Libraries Group in the USA and is beginning to exchange records of microform masters. In the same reference Stam makes some valuable arguments for cooperation and states some desiderata: • the scale of the problem is beyond any institution or country to solve on its own * present and future access is the raison d'être • each nation should deal with its own heritage • linked national registers of microfilm masters are essential * there is one world of scholarship, but it will be difficult to gain real agreement to cede to others e.g. fields of collecting activity * there should be concentration on the unique, scarce and threatened items • cooperation does not obviate the need for additional funds * microfilm is the medium for now, whilst carrying out R and D on optical media and mass deacidification. • a joint approach to publishers on the use of permanent paper and on copyright questions arising from surrogates. * Inertia is the present drawback.

14

3. MOVING TOWARDS ACTION

3.1 Preconditions for an action programme • get the facts. The size and nature of the problems facing a particular community need to be surveyed with care and reasonable thoroughness. • establish leadership and organisation. Who is to do what? In the EC each national library might be held responsible for preservation of the national literary output. But there are choices even so. Some would favour limiting them to this role, except for items published abroad which are uniquely held. • support commercial publishers in creating complete editions on microfilm which require contributions from various countries. • cooperate in achieving bibliographical control of microfilm masters, as an essential tool for coordination. • respond sympathetically to the needs of countries which lack the bibliographical or technical resources to create their own national archive on microfilm. The metropolitan libraries of former colonial powers have a particular responsibility here. • gain understanding and support by awareness campaigns. Without a shift of attitudes and resources on the part of librarians, library funding agencies, the scholars who depend on libraries and indeed the general public, the funds to support a realistic programme will not be forthcoming. Skilful and sustained publicity is needed. Preservation may be a noble goal, but it is difficult even for those most involved to grasp the scale of the problem. Slow decay affecting millions of books is hard to identify until suddenly the problem is seen to be unmanageable. 15

3.2 Main action strategies Conservation and binding are required on a larger scale than ever.The education and training of new workers may be an appropriate activity for the support of national and international agencies. In theory there is scope for a register of important books which have been conserved, to avoid wasteful duplication. The idea was mooted in the USA to recognise an item as the 'national preserved copy', which was to be transferred to a central repository. However the idea did not work. It is indeed unrealistic to imagine that one library would be much influenced in deciding on the conservation of a precious book by the knowledge that another copy had been conserved elsewhere, especially as no two copies of a hand made book are identical. Preventive preservation is a term for all those measures which seek to avoid excessive deterioration of collections by planning to prevent or control disasters, improve buildings and environments, provide first aid at the shelves and promote good practice in the storage, transport and handling of books by staff and readers, especially in photocopying. There is scope for publications, training and consultancy to promote preventive preservation, which is the most cost/effective strategy in the long run. Deferred conservation means the boxing or enveloping of damaged books in acid-free containers until they can be properly treated. It usually implies parallel creation of a microform surrogate. Mass deacidification without the need to remove the binding, is practised or is under development in two systems; the Wei T'o method at the National Library of Canada and the Bibliothèque Nationale (Sablé) and the DEZ (diethyl zinc) method at the Library of Congress. The British Library are working on a process for bulk strengthening of paper. Mass conversion, currently to microform, is the one strategy capable of large scale cooperation. Optical media are at the R and D stage.The criteria for library preservation use are compaction, archival life of the medium, technical reliability and standards and stability of the industry. Undoubtedly, silver halide microfilm is unrivalled at present and all cooperative programmes employ it. Whether to discard the original is a following decision: unless compelled by the poor condition of the item, typically brittle books, or by severe accommodation problems, the present state of the art in mass conversion indicates caution in disposal of valuable originals. Accessibility being all important, bibliographical control of items for which a microform master exists is an essential concomitant to a cooperative scheme of filming. The extent to which microform is accepted in the library world is also significant: already US research libraries possess more material in microform than in printed paper. Costing information is available for microfilming but not for optical media.

16

3.3 Interrelation between processes Within each institution, decisions have to be made between the hand conservation of original items and the creation of surrogates, or sometimes both at once. The relative priority of older materials and acid-decayed modern works affects this decision. National libraries in particular have to decide how much they can contribute to participation in or organisation of cooperative schemes; and their investment in research and development of new processes. DIAGRAM A illustrates the range of functions within the preservation complex and the various technologies available. A large operation will use many of these processes, each suited to individual needs. The Library of Congress employs hand conservation, microfilming, mass deacidifation and optical media and has evolved guidelines as to what material is suitable for each method. It is a safe decision to use archival quality microfilm for surrogate purposes, since microfilm can easily be converted to optical media and vice versa. The traditional hand conservation process offers a wide range of options in itself, depending upon the value and condition of the item and the technical resources available. Such considerations are further discussed in the consultant's paper (2). The history of technology in the fields of knowledge and information shows that new methods often find a place alongside established methods rather than displacing them entirely, as witness the continued growth of the conventional publications industry in this electronic age. DIAGRAM Β gives an analysis of the various media related to likely frequency of use and volume of materials. It will be noted that print on paper is still the most suitable for library purposes, giving way to microform as the volume of material rises. TABLE C, drawn from British Library data, illustrates cost differentials of various methods of treatment. No other EC library operates on such a large scale in preservation, but the range of costs may be a useful indicator.

17

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trained personnel quality control of materials used for conservation need for education and training facilities for conservation staff and professional library personnel need for information dissemination lack of infrastructure at international and national levels to promote the cause 4 As to the scale and scope of the problem, this is only beginning to be revealed where proper surveys have been carried out. In these cases it is seen to be vast, compared with the low levels of correctional activity, and the low priority which this implies. The need for selectivity in what is treated is evident. 5 An Action Programme is proposed: awareness campaigns; education and training; policy development and implementation at national and regional levels; setting national and institutional priorities; treatment options. 6 Recommendations are made to Unesco, ICA and IFLA, to national institutions and associations, and finally there are a set of technical recommendations (embracing library administrative matters as well as conservation work itself). The gist of the recommendations is to stimulate awareness, set up mechanisms for cooperation, improve education and training,promote information dissemination and to improve technical and management standards in regard to conservation and preservation. The overwhelming impression is that the problems are vast, resources are scarce, ignorance and indifference are widespread and generally the priority given to the conservation and preservation of the world's cultural heritage as embodied in libraries and archives is low.

63

POLICIES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN EEC COUNTRIES

Methodology The foregoing section of the study is based on a literature search and on literature collected during visits to North America, and by correspondence. The important conference on conservation and preservation organised by the Conference of Directors of National Libraries, Vienna, 1986, the Canadian LA and American LA Conferences and the IFLA Conference, all in 1986, were attended. For the country section, a questionnaire was sent to national libraries, and certain other leading research libraries, and to appropriate Ministries requesting names of key people to consult and lists or actual copies of documentation. The questionnaire was supplemented by telephone calls and opportune meetings at conferences. Later, IFLA kindly allowed access to the results of the Unesco-sponsored ICA/IFLA Survey on the library and archival heritage·, the reports of visits to The Netherlands and Portugal being drawn upon in lieu of visits. Finally, personal visits were paid to libraries, ministries and other institutions in Belgium, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. With the exception of the last-named country, all of these visits were undertaken by Mr D. F. Fuegi, on behalf of the author, who was taken ill in the midst of the study. Grateful acknowledgement is made to Mr. Fuegi for his assistance.

Order of country section Detailed accounts of policy and practice are given for the major countries, including fairly full accounts of the findings and recommendations of investigations. This is to allow readers to compare approaches to the situation, also to learn of interesting proposals which may be applicable elsewhere. These longer 64

accounts precede the others. Greece and Spain go unmentioned, because they did not reply to repeated questionnaires and there was not sufficient time or funds to visit these countries.

Current trends Certain common trends were observed in the major EC countries. Awareness is growing rapidly, although not yet transmitted into decisive action. Major reviews of preservation needs, and of policy regarding older books had been undertaken recently in France, the UK and West Germany. There is a markedly different perpective between librarians and conservators: the former being concerned more with the preservation of the information content of documents, in surrogate form if necessary, and impressed with the impossibility of hand treating more than a select number of older and rare books. Conservators, on the other hand rightly regard the library heritage of older materials as worthy of conservation and are anxious to apply the highest standards, however limited the resources. The conservators' view is much more strongly accepted in Italy than elsewhere. Acid paper is now perceived as a major European problem, and not just something for the Americans. Newspaper microfilming programmes are common and it is generally seen as desirable to launch much wider programmes for creating microform surrogates. Essential to widespread cooperation is the setting up of national, linked, registers of master microforms. As to other preventive measures, France is leading in mass deacidification, the UK in disaster planning and the campaign for permanent paper. Some progress is also being made in West Germany on permanent paper. Education, training and awareness are all seen as important everywhere. France and the UK are introducing preservation content into librarianship education; whilst modest improvements in conservation training are occurring, especially in West Germany. Only in the UK is there a focus for preservation - The National Preservation Office.

65

FRANCE

1. GENERAL

More perhaps than any other EC country, France has been systematic in defining its cultural heritage in libraries ; in locating and quantifying collections, and in prescribing the organisation, resources and techniques necessary to conserve and exploit them for the benefit of researchers and the general public. The technologies for mass deacidification and for mass conversion of documents on to optical disc (although for current information rather than preservation purposes) are being used. But the resources devoted to conservation and preservation are entirely inadequate; also France lags behind in the application of automation to library management, which is a particular drawback in regard to cooperative cataloguing and the compilation of a national register of master microforms. Despite the evidence of various commissions, there appears to be a low degree of concern and awareness of the preservation threat within Government circles, the media and the general public. Attention has been focussed on older materials and on French book production, somewhat at the expense of the acidification threat to modern materials and the need for international cooperation in preserving the world heritage. Admittedly, each country has a prime duty to conserve its own intellectual output. 66

1.1

Le Patrimoine

'Le patrimoine', or cultural heritage, is somewhat arbitrarily defined as books published pre-1811, the inaugural date of the national bibliography; also, of course, manuscript and special materials of all kinds. Of these older books, c. 1 million are in the Bibliothèque Nationale (BN) and 6 millions in the Bibliothèques Municipales (BMs). Large numbers are contained in the Bibliothèques de grands établissements (Β. de l'Academie nationale de médecine, B. centrale du Musée National d'histoire naturelle, B. de l'Institut de France, etc.). La Bibliothèque Mazarine possesses c.100,000 older books. Certain universities in Paris (0.3 million) and Strasbourg (0.2 million) possess significant collections of older books.

1.2

Library structure

Central government responsibility for libraries is divided. The BN plays a vital role. La Direction du Livre et de la Lecture (DLL), belonging to le Ministère de la Culture, has the responsibility of supplying State funds and leadership to the BMs, a function diminished by the policy of decentralisation to local authorities. These are the main bodies concerned with conservation of le Patrimoine; indeed there is within DLL le Bureau du Patrimoine. The DLL has spent c. Fr. 9 millions on preservation since 1983. University libraries and the libraries of the Grands Établissements (major cultural institutions) depend for funding upon le Directorat des Bibliothèques, des Musées, et de l'Information Scientifique et Technique (DBMIST). Education in librarianship is the responsibility of le Ministère de Recherche et des Renseignements Supérieurs, depending upon DBMIST. One must mention le Centre Nationale de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), under whose auspices is le Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Documents Graphiques (CRCDG), also le Centre de Documentation Scientifique et Technique, (involved in the optical disc aspect of the TRANSDOC experiment mentioned below), and various institutes whose work affects conservation of le patrimoine. In 1958, the BN supported the setting up of L'Association pour la Conservation et la Reproduction de la Presse (ACRPP), which is a not-for-profit body. Le Centre National de la Restauration et de la Reliure was set up in 1977, but exists on paper only. Similarly, la Centre National du Livre Ancien et des Documents Rares et Précieux, created in 1977, tried many good initiatives, but survives today only by giving advice on the cataloguing of rare books and by joint publication of a rare books newsletter. Yet again, in 1978 was established L'Institut d'étude du Livre, but to little effect. These initiatives had sprung from a DLL Enquiry in 1975/77: 'Les fonds anciens des bibliothèques françaises. ' 67

1.3

Local libraries

At local level are the Bibliothèques Publiques, comprising the older BMs and the Bibliothèques Centrales de Prêt which serve mainly rural areas. As recorded above, it is the BMs which contain the majority of older books in French libraries, as a result of confiscations during the French Revolution and secularisation. Curiously enough it is the State which owns these older books, and this has been recognised by the employment of State personnel for conservation in the BMs. However, this responsibility has passed to local authorities under decentralisation and not all have kept up spending. Older books are concentrated in 54 BMs, described as 'classées', the remainder being 'controllées'. Recently Associations de Cooperation have been set up in the regions, with wide powers. That for the Loire is establishing a microfilming cooperative. Mention should also be made of heritage items in the collections of private individuals, learned society libraries and confessional libraries.

1.4

Investigations

Three influential investigations have taken place during the last decade. The first is mentioned above at 1.2. The second was the Caillet Commission into the state of conservation and preservation at the Bibliothèque Nationale, 1979; and the Desgraves Commission of 1981, dealing with le patrimoine in all French libraries was the third. The Caillet report, which led directly to the B.N. Plan de Sauvegarde, is reported below. Desgraves findings have been incorporated variously into this report, but we will give next a summary of these findings and the proposals for the future.

2. THE DESGRAVES COMMISSION

2.1 This enquiry was set up by DLL in 1981 and reported on 'Lepatrimoine des bibliothèques' in November of that year, published by le Ministère de la Culture 1982.(17) The enquiry embraced collections in ail types of library, public and private. The Commission found the present situation characterised by the notable efforts of the BN, the virtual absence of means to save the heritage contained in university libraries, the beneficial intervention of DLL in regard to BMs and the absence of a real policy, and non-existence of structures of coordination and cooperation. The voluminous information contained in the main report and a second volume of annexes is embodied in this document seriatim, but the propositions in Part 2 are now summarised. 68

A.

FOR BETTER CONSERVATION OF COLLECTIONS

1) a distributed national plan of conservation and acquisition of antiquarian material is recommended, the BN cooperating with a series of regional libraries, being designated from among the BMs. The 19 provincial libraries having rights of legal deposit should receive the means to collect and conserve appropriate material. The idea of a phonothèque in each region should be studied. La Bibliothèque de la Joie par les livres should have particular responsibility to conserve children's books. Conservation of scientific and technical documentation, including social sciences, should be the duty of the university libraries. Certain specialist establishments reporting to DLL or DBMIST should be given charge of conserving the national heritage in their domain. It follows that all of these institutions should be given the necessary resources for the task. To facilitate and control the weeding of collections, libraries in the provinces should remit to a central library works they propose to discard. Central libraries in turn to dispose of unwanted material to regional libraries for redistribution. The Paris region would act similarly. This policy should aid interlending and the creation of more comprehensive catalogues. 2) The work of the Centre de recherche sur la conservation des documents graphiques, one of the best laboratories of its kind in the world, should be developed. 3) Noting the inadequacy of many library buildings, it is not proposed to centralise heritage collections, but to ameliorate existing premises. Work is especially needed at the BN; an inventory should be drawn up of the need for extensions and adaptions of university libraries; a rolling programme costing at least 5M F from 1983 onwards should be provided by the DLL for work on BMs. 4) Regarding equipment and maintenance (including binding), much library furniture was out-of-date and should be replaced, the BN required its grant for binding and furniture to be increased by c. 60% (together with 16 new staff posts), major BMs, university libraries and those of grands établissements required inhouse binding facilities. The DLL should encourage municipalities to recruit binders under the proposal, in 1982, that they should undertake some of the salary expenditure on libraries. The BN proposals to improve the quality of bindings for long life should be emulated elsewhere. Ten new posts are proposed for the national library and various measures, at a cost of 2.5M F, for the BMs. 69

5) To increase and diversify the work of restoration, workshops employing State personnel should be extended and new ones created. A new Paris workshop was needed to serve universities and grands établissements. In the provinces, 5 inter-regional workshops were required by extending the present workshops at BN Toulouse and Sablé, plus three new facilities at Amiens, Lyon and Troyes. All of these installations should have the mass deacidification plant now being put into Sablé, and microfilm studios. The BN restoration staff needed strengthening by 16 posts so as to extend its ability to undertake skilled restoration for other libraries. There should be a review of educational and training standards of all grades involved, especially Grade 1 restorers, whose education should have a greater theoretical content, at university level. Internally trained candidates should have day release courses to establish equity with those on full-time education, and their 5-year apprenticeship should be reduced. A master's degree would help recognition. En masse training of restorers for the media of sound and vision was needed. The above courses were also suitable for restorers entering the private sector, to which publicly funded libraries had recourse. There should be quality assurances similar to the standards laid down by the BN. In return for the acceptance of higher standards of training for restorers, the State should assure funding for restoration in all types of library. 6) Photoreproduction of the most rare and precious documents is proposed. As to microforms, the achievement in one year of the present project to microfilm all medieval manuscripts would require 7 mobile teams comprising 24 staff, capital expenditure of 3.3M F and annual expenditure of 1.36M F. Afterwards the facilities would be used for other work. The BN should get more resources to make good themicrofilming of all recent regional and local periodicals received by legal deposit, the DLL programme for retrospective microfilming of these publications should be accelerated to a rate of 50M pages per year for 10 years, requiring 5 production units each of 8 persons. There should be cooperation between the BN and other responsible bodies as to standards, procedures and archival quality. In parallel with these projects, a vast campaign should be launched in all sorts of locations, to microfilm all documents which are rare or unique. The BN to concert a systematic programme for filming 19th and 20th century printed books (presumably French publications only), related to the Sablé programme. Sablé's resources would have to be increased to meet the needs of the BN and other institutions at an acceptable price. The BN should be able to coordinate the selection of titles to be filmed and the programme of operation. Finance must be justified by regional organisations carrying out photographic programmmes efficiently. First generation negatives should be stored at national level, second generation in regional depots. Annual grants from DLL and DBMIST should help 70

libraries to acquire microfilm readers. Reprint editions by public and private publishers should be encouraged, the latter by a system of certification and by part subsidy for risky but desirable ventures, e.g. by pre-publication orders from libraries. Private publishers using public collections should have to follow definite recommendations; however there was every advantage in such cooperation. Generally, except for the BN, libraries needed to be more alert in ensuring that they got more out of copying than one or two examples. They should balance the needs of conservation and use. In apportioning costs between library and user, the charges should be reasonable and not just favour the rich. B.

FOR BETTER EXPLOITATION OF THE COLLECTIONS

1) Guides, inventories and catalogues. The eventual objective is a national union catalogue in machine-readable form. A committee should be set up to study French and foreign precedents. The first priority for automation should be those existing in print. In the meantime, the present policy of assisting the publication of local catalogues by conventional means should continue. Various prosposals are made to accelerate existing projects. The system of using non-librarians for cataloguing during university vacations is only partially a solution. The history of the book is a neglected topic in France. More should be done, enlisting help from staff and students at the university level library schools. IFLA standards of cataloguing should be followed, but standards should be simple - better a summary catalogue that an ideal one which is never issued. The university librarians had unanimously recommended the Anglo-Saxon mode of the short title catalogue (STC). Authority files should be prepared rapidly, in association with other countries. Indexing systems were essential to automated catalogues. 2) Reproduction of sound recordings, audio-visual materials and of printed and mss. material in microform facilitated public access and enabled other libraries to fill gaps in their collections, as well as aiding conservation by substitution. For all these reasons, reproduction is a major policy for the heritage. One needs to convince some authorities that such reproduction will enrich rather than impoverish their heritage and that their institutions will benefit by sale or exchange. 3) Research should be facilitated by encouraging the precedents of study centres being set up jointly by universities and BNs. A levelling of status between professional librarians and academics would help concord. It was very desirable to enlist public support for the cause by animation: arranging exhibitions, publications and catalogues, with national support by funding and the establishment of exhibition design units. 71

C.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF COLLECTIONS

1) The State should legally define the conservation responsibilities of the 19 provincial libraries which have rights of legal deposit. Attempts should be made to interest the provincial administrations in legal deposit. 2) Decentralisation of le patrimoine is both just and favours preservation. Libraries should collect non-book materials. Regional phonothèques are recommended and a policy of collaboration with radio stations to aboid mass destruction of materials. Libraries should collect fine art bindings and contemporary fine books, both to preserve them and to encourage the art of the book. Librarians themselves ought to be well informed about them and promote public interest in them. The BN should have a minimum of 6M F from 1983 on to ensure its traditional coverage of foreign publications, to extend coverage and to fill gaps in collections. The university libraries and those of the grands établissements were funded in 1979 on the basis of 0.26 books per student and 0.08 periodical titles. In the short term this should be raised to 1 book per student and later to Unesco's recommendation of 3 books per student and 0.6 periodical titles. In order to improve the acquisition of antiquarian material, the BN should coordinate purchases in the Paris region and monitor the Paris sale rooms. Regional means of similar coordination should be established, and the possibility of coordination with the archives and museums services studied. The object of such coordination was not to overrule the rights of libraries, but to mediate. Substantial increases in funds would be needed to implement such a policy: 20M F for the BN and 2M F for the DLL from 1983. There was a need to clarify the roles of the BN, DLL and DMIST in regard to le droit de préemption, to avoid risk of competition. Librarians should be better informed, and use the privilege with discretion. The possibility of taking privately-owned collections into care for their preservation is mentioned. D. BETTER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND BETTER-INFORMED PROFESSIONALS AND USERS 1) Library personnel. Initial education of graduate librarians at the École Nationale Supérieure des Bibliothèques (ENSB) should be extended from one to two years, to permit more information of subjects related to le patrimoine, both in the compulsory course and in an option during the second year. Cooperation with the other post-graduate school, l'École Nationale des Chartes, was desirable. The regional centres teaching librarians for Baccalaureate level positions in the public libraries should examine the content of courses regarding le pat72

rimoine, for which they proposed a specialist option from 1983. The provision of specialist education in the librarianship of music, recorded sound and A/V materials required study. Longer courses would be needed both at the ENSB and regional centres. Among the topics to be studied in the extended basic course were conservation problems and techniques, sound and A/V, the history of the book and 'animation'. The lower grades of library workers known as magaziniers and guardians de bibliothèques should desirably be fused and their training include classification, the history of the book and care and handling of documents. Continuing education of librarians should include such topics as have been covered in earlier sections of these proposals. In particular, a French review journal was needed on restoration and conservation, aimed at librarians but including technical notes. 2) There was a need for education of the general public by means already mentioned, also scholars should learn something of the history of the book and knowledge about catalogues and bibliographies as part of their diploma course. There was an obligation on editors of critical editions to know a minimum on the history of book construction and the history of libraries. E. TO SAFEGUARD THE HERITAGE IN SEMI-PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIBRARIES Microfilming campaigns should be extended to non-public libraries, whose collections sould be listed in union catalogues, if they will make them available to the public. Some may be willing to deposit their collections in public libraries. In return for public access and their participation in joint schemes, such libraries should be helped in the maintenance and cataloguing of collections. To facilitate this policy in regard to confessional libraries, the religious authorities should be approached from ministerial level. F.

NEW ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURES

1.

REGIONAL CENTRES

The setting up of a centre in each region underlines many of these proposals. Their function is the coherent planning and implementation of total heritage policies in the region. They would have no powers over libraries but would work in response to demand, by limited period contracts and strictly in a heritage role. All types of libraries would be served. 1.1 More specifically, the regional centres would be concerned with measures to conserve collections, selection for treatment, guidance on preservation methods, relations with private restorers, etc; then on microfilming aspects; 73

guidance on local cataloguing and the creation of a regional catalogue, with a view to their inclusion in a national catalogue, and the loan of documents and copies; promoting collection development especially of fugitive local publications, antiquarian purchases, continuous education and perhaps some initial training. Two types of regional centre are proposed, type A being purely local and type Β giving services to its own and adjacent regions. Curiously, type A are the larger, with 50 personnel and more facilities than B, with 30 personnel. Organisation charts and a schematic layout of accommodation are given. 1.2 The regional centres should have statutory authority and their personnel should be State employees. Only after some time could regional control be considered. For various reasons, including the future possibility of common centres for libraries and archives, separate accommodation is desired, rather than housing in a library. (But see above that BM Toulouse and BN Sablé are to house two of the six centres.) By 1985, it is proposed that these and the other type A centres should be established, Toulouse being thought suitable to serve the Bordeaux region. Restoration and microfilming studios are the first requirement.

2.

A NATIONAL CENTRE OF COORDINATION AND PROMOTION

2.1 Missions. The Ministries of Culture and National Education need to collaborate in setting up a national centre, whoes functions include: research on the conservation of graphic documents, negotiations with publishers, definition of standards, in liaison with competent bodies, elaboration of guides, inventories and national catalogues, elaboration and dissemination of lists of catalogues, planning and coordination of antiquarian acquisitions, collection and dissemination of information, continuous education of certain personnel. 2.2 Possibly revive la Centre Nationale du Livre Ancien et des Documents Rare et Precieux as the statutory body. 2.3 As a transitional measure, set up a consultative committee for the heritage, under the DLL, advised by technicians, and including representation of those libraries which report to the Ministry of National Education (DBMIST libraries). 74

G.

CONCLUSION

The state of le patrimoine in all libraries is alarming. Unless urgent action is taken then it will not be a plan to safeguard, but a plan to reconstitute the nation's collections, assuming that irreparable damage has not been done. The Plan de Sauvegarde of the BN and its implementation by setting up centres at Sableé and Provins, together with the notable augmentation of BN funds are hopeful signs, but still very insufficient. Similarly, the increase of research funds since 1978 and various other DLL initiatives are encouraging; on the contrary, the lack of earmarked funds for preservation at the DBMIST libraries is noted. Attention is drawn to the major recommendations regarding regional centres and the need for a coherent national policy. Not just preservation but improved access is the policy required.

3. THE 1975/77 SURVEY AND LATER INFORMATION

3.1 L'Institut de Recherche des Textes surveyed the location of pre-1811 printed books on behalf of the DLL, 1975/77, their report being entitled Les fonds anciens des bibliothèques françaises, Paris, CNRS, 1981. The Bureau de Patrimoine subsequently extended the statistics by a telephone survey and a copy of their mss. tabulation of the holdings of the BMs was kindly provided for this study. In 260 communes only 18 libraries had more than 50K works pre-1811 ; of which the 9 largest held more than 100K each. These are Grenoble (250K), Lyon (200K), Toulouse (125K), Rouen (115K), and Aix-en-Provence, Le Mans, Montpellier, Nancy and Versailles with 100K each. These are Grenoble (250K), Lyon (200K), Toulouse (125K), Rouen (115K), and Aix-en-Provence, Le Mans, Montpellier, Nancy and Versailles with 100K each. In addition to early printed books, the BMs between them held +30K medieval manuscripts, + 150K modern manuscripts, plus special materials of many kinds. According to the Head of Bureau, no reliable statistics exist of deterioration of more recent books, yet it is recognised that acid materials, poor environments, infestation and overuse are badly affecting stocks in many places. In particular the published output of the decade 1870-80, when paper was at its worst, is badly degraded. The regional press of the 18th and 19th centuries is most menaced, due to inherent acidity, oversize leading to careless handling, and overuse. 75

4. BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE

4.1 As the national library, the BN holds the major legal deposit collection and the single most important histric collection of the French published output, as part of one of the world's greatest assemblies of recorded information. Consequently, the BN has experienced major problems in the field of conservation and preservation. 4.2 Two significant actions were taken in 1978, with the setting-up of the service of conservation and restoration and the establishment of the Caillet commission into the safeguarding of the collections, reporting in February 1979. Whilst covering the need for basic good handling and environmental conditions, also the requirement to increase the resources of the Library, quantitatively and qualitatively, in order to undertake traditional binding and hand restoration of older documents, the Commission found that the threat to recent documents posed by acidification of the paper was the most threatening aspect of a grave problem. 670K printed books were unusable due to brittleness. 40M leaves of periodicals required treatment. 2.576M prints needed to be copied to a substitute medium. 34K pieces of music in poor state, etc, etc. The Commission proposed a coordinated series of measures, aiming in parallel towards microfilm substitution and reinforcement of the originals. The report, like that of the Desgraves Commission already described, emphasised the need for an awareness campaign to convince the Government and the general publiuc of the reality and menace of the problem.

4.3 Le Plan de Sauvegarde Government response to the Caillet report was to increase the funds of the BN by a special annual subvention of 10M F to safeguard the collections. The Library itself announced Le Plan de Sauvegarde, a report on the first years 1980-85 having kindly been supplied for this study. 1) More conservation and microform workshops were established in Paris. In 1980 the main workshop was doubled in size and a new heat lamination workshop constructed. In 1981 the Prints Department received an improved restoration workshop and a microform studio for use by external filming agencies. More recently, new microform studios were provided for prints and printed books (microfiche) and for the Department of Manuscripts. 2) Two decentralisations took place: 76

In 1978 at the Chateau de Sablé-sur-Sarthe, a major facility was established, providing accommodation for binders and restorers, a heat lamination shop, and a photographic studio. Here is located the mass deacidification plant described below. Also in 1978 a centre for conservation and reproduction of the regional newspapers was set up in the ancient convent des Cordelières at Provins. A heat lamination shop and a microfilm studio operated by ACRPP (see below) were provided. Microfilming of 22 daily newspapers in 130 editions is undertaken. Disinfection chambers were installed at Sablé and Provins. 3) The Library has given urgent attention to the need for first aid at the shelves. A large cleansing and elementary repair operation, using students on vacation, takes place especially in printed books and drawings. Some 6M fascicules of journals at the Versailles depository have been protected by boxing or enveloping in suitable containers. A continuing search is made for materials of conservation quality for the workshops; a typescript list of suppliers of suitable materials being issued. 4) In the five-year period, over 8M images were filmed in the Periodicals Department, 8,600 reels of microfilm (books and periodicals) in the Department of Printed Books, also 40,800 titles were copied onto 145,200 microfiches, whilst c. 1M images were photographed in the Prints Department. Sablé normally retains books microfilmed there, also the master and working copy negatives. 5) Research into preservation problems was commissioned especially from the CRCDG (see below), which undertook research into the process now employed for mass deacidification. 4.4 Deacidification Turning from substitution to deacidification and reinforcement of originals, the BN favours heat lamination of documents, using an inert material 'Cerex' and large heat presses, of which three are installed as described above. Unfortunately, shortage of staff results in an output far below the capacity of the installations. A manual process of deacidification, using borax, is used in the Paris workshops . The materials are relatively cheap but again the shortage is of personnel. 4.5 Of more interest from the European point of view is the mass deacidification process whose production is finally due to begin in January 1987 after many delays. The process is basically that followed at the National Library of Canada, the Wei T'o process, using the dangerous substance methanol in freon. It is envisaged that a weekly delivery of 600 books per working day from Paris, target cl50,000 volumes per year, will achieve the treatment of the estimated 690,000 volumes needing attention by 1994. The target unit cost is 50F or less. 77

The cost excluding premises was 2MF of which IMF was for the cooling system. This was exceptionally expensive because of the need to install a closed cycle air-cooled water system, not to disfigure the exterior of the historic chateau with piping. There is a future possibility of accepting work from other libraries on contract. The freon and methanol are distilled out for reuse, the latter having to be sent to the manufacturer for purifying first of all.

4.6

Resources inadequate

Whilst much has been achieved in preservation and conservation at the BN since 1978, the administration report that the results fall far behind what was recommended in the Caillet report. This is mainly due to inadequate staff resources, both in numbers and in quality. 4.7 BN issues annually a list in COM format of microforms which the Library has made, either to order or for systematic preservation purposes. Automation of this list is proposed. 4.8 BN Sablé is the West European centre for the IFLA PAC (Preservation and Conservation) programme, set up in 1986.Its scope also includes North Africa and the Middle East.

5. COOPERATIVE REPRODUCTION AND VIDEODISC PUBLICATIONS

5.1

Microfilming

The efforts at coordination of the reproduction of documents have been mainly concerned with periodicals and have involved the BN, the DLL and l'Association pour la Conservation et la Reproduction de la Presse (ACRPP) a not-forprofit body which the BN has supported from its inception in 1958 and of which BN officers provide the President and the Secretary General. All bodies concerned with the Press are represented on ACRPP; professional associations, public institutions and publishers. ACRPP occupies a studio at BN Provins for the microfilming of current daily provincial newspapers. Retrospective filming is carried out by the BN itself, mainly from its own collections, with gap-filling from other libraries.There are

78

agreements between BN and the DLL about filming of periodicals in the BMs, occasionally by inhouse units, more by travelling film units financed by the DLL. In all cases the BN is involved in gap-filling and in preparation of originals for filming.A contract for microfilming periodicals held in the Bibliothèque Publique d'Information is being arranged between the BPI itself, the BN, CNRS,and ACRPP. It is the practice for the BN to hold and conserve the master and copy negatives. The DLL has spent c.Fr. 9 millions annually on conservation since 1983. This has paid for the restoration of 1200 books and mss. over four years, and in respect of microfilming alone, has financed: the reproduction of 1.5 million pages of pre-1900 regional journals the creation with 1'IRHT of an important photographic library of manuscripts the reproduction of 0.1 million graphic images from documents in the BMs (prints, postal stamps, early photographs, etc.) Commercial microfilm publishers do not appear to be very active in France, and libraries, other than the BN, do not get a good deal from the filming of their collections.

5.2 Union catalogues of holdings Closely related to microfilming is, of course, the production of union catalogues of holdings, both as a potential requirements list and as a basis for a register of master microforms. Most pre-19th century books in BMs are not catalogued, or inadequately recorded, whilst few local catalogues are published for general dissemination. The 1975/77 enquiry disclosed that only Toulouse and Lyon had rare book specialists and that only 15% of the pre-1811 books in the BMs were properly catalogued. Yet they hold 6M such items (cf. BN IM). The DLL since 1978 has funded the publication of three catalogues and has assisted various ongoing projects. L Inventaire photographique des fonds anciens, although only at an experimental stage, has revealed books in BMs not held by the BN. Because of the lack of local expertise in most cases, a process of remote cataloguing is followed by librarians at the DLL working from selected excerpts from books photographed by a travelling photographer. This is similar to one procedure adopted by the international 18th century short title catalogue (ESTC) project, which French university librarians have enthusiastically recommended as a model to the Desgraves Commission. The DLL also assisted infinancingpublication of supplementary volumes to le Catalogue général des manuscrits des bibliothèques publiques de France, 1848- and pays for student help. This is more of an aggregation plus index than a true union catalogue. 79

DLL are publishing catalogues of locally-held incunabula, a competent librarian having been designated in each region. The first two volumes were issued in 1979. The DLL is assisting the French contribution to le Repertoire international des sources musicales, which includes mss. and printed materials pre1800. One final DLL initiative to be mentioned is a collective catalogue of periodicals from the beginning of the 17th century to 1939, conserved in the university libraries. Mention must be made of several BN publications which have the nature of collective catalogues, i.e., la Bibliographie de la presse française politique et d'information générale, 1845-1944, Bibliographie des atlas français, 1982, and a union list of terrestrial globes. This does not pretend to be an exhaustive list of French collective catalogues, but even so there is a danger of convincing the reader that all is well towards the desired basis for an automated national union catalogue, which Desgraves insists is far from true. It is at least encouraging that the BN hold all master negatives, so that the means of a register is available.

5.3

Reprints

Reprints by commercial publishers are criticised by Desgraves as being anarchic, not properly edited, printed on paper of mediocre quality, in small editions at high prices. This situation, together with the unadventurous state of the industry are partly blamed on the indifference of librarians. Desgraves comments on the need for specialists in the conservation and preservation of recorded sound and images and on the general neglect of sound recordings by public libraries, at least as research materials.

5.4

Videodisc publications

Since this study spécification mentions the use of new technology in preservation, the various videodisc publications of DBMIST will be of interest. The main purpose is dissemination but linked with conservation. Five publications were mentioned: illuminated medieval mss. from Bibliothèque Ste. Gèneviève, Paris; an archaeological collection; water-colour drawings from the Natural History Museum; a medical collection for 1st and 2nd years; and a projected collection on the theme of the Mediterranean region. The educational aspect of this programme can be seen in various ways. All university libraries are to be given videodisc players, starting with those most appropriate to the archaeological and medical subjects. The latter is interesting in that the software gives natural language access and allows pictures to be downloaded for local use. Two-way use, by specialists and the general public is envisaged; the Mediterranean disc being intended for public access in small natural history museums.The library is seen as one natural location for such ventures. 80

All products are bi-lingual, French and English. There are also deliberate links with the Council of Strasbourg proposal for a network of photographic libraries in Europe. The Bibliothèque Nationale is making a series of videodiscs, the subjects to date including Italian prints of the 15th and 16th centuries, the French Revolution, contemporary photographs and a selection of 3000 contemporary engravings. As always when optical applications in libraries are mentioned, it is hard to distinguish between objectives of preservation and access, which is a major attraction of these media.

6. UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 6.1 The pre-1811 books are concentrated in the universities of Paris (305K) and Strasbourg (220K), with only 180K in all the other universities. It should be noted that 44 of the 60 French universities are of recent creation. Older books are mostly properly catalogued and the universities are the principal users of them.

6.2 The conservation situation is unsatisfactory, Government credits having gone to the BN and the BMs. Existing conservation workshops are in some cases employed on routine binding of current acquisitions, due to lack of funds to put it out to contract. Universities at Lyon and the Mazarine have suffered recent flood damage. There is a severe overall shortage of storage space in the Paris university libraries; a proposal for a central Paris repository envisages ideal storage copnditions and perhaps an attached conservation workshop. However, the Desgraves Commission considered that the university libraries should play an important part in the proposed regional conservation network, particularly in cataloguing of books in small municipal libraries. 18 university libraries have a microfilming studio, including all with significant heritage collections, except Caen. 6.3 The universities are usually responsible for training librarians for the public library sector (regional centres).

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7. BUILDINGS AND ENVIRONMENT: CONSERVATION WORKSHOPS

7.1 Desgraves reports that many libraries, including the BN, are housed in ancient premises, with consequent risks to conservation. The IFLA questionnaire indicates only a moderate degree of monitoring of the environment in French libraries. The DLL devotes part of its credits for public libraries to the provision of measuring equipment for temperature and humidity. DLL also runs a mobile autoclave for disinfection of collections, which is available to the BMs free of charge.

7.2 The conservation and restoration resources of the BN are detailed in Desgraves, Annexe volume, pp.83-88, and more recently but to a lesser degree in the BN response to the consultant's questionnaire. Although outstanding compared with the total situation in France, it is reported that the staffing of these facilities falls far short, in quantity and in quality, of what is needed to maximise use of the accommodation and plant available. The number and staffing of the few conservation workshops in university libraries is listed in an annexe to an unpublished report issued by DBMIST Les bibliothèques universitaires et le patrimoine, 1984. Resources are extremely slim. Only 6 had workshops more or less developed by 1982, according to Desgraves. A study on restoration studios in libraries other than the BN is being carried out by Mile. Suzane Delrieu, Inspecteur général des bibliothèques and M. Albert Labarre, Head of conservation and restoration studios at the BN. Where funds permit, libraries may have recourse to private sector conservation facilities; the BN also takes in some work from other libraries at the expense of DLL. There are problems of education and grading, but basically it all comes back to inadequate finance.

8. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

8.1 Education and training for our purpose relates to the need for various categories of conservation staff; photographic and reprographic technicians; and the conservation and preservation content in the curricula for professional librarians and their support staff. It also includes continuing education for all library employees, user education and awareness campaigns: 82

8.2

Conservation personnel

Educational facilities for restorers consist of two schools in Paris, at the University of Paris and at the Institut français de la restoration des oeuvres d'art. Of the 30 graduates from both each year, perhaps 4-5 specialise in paper. Most graduates set up in private practice, owing to a shortage of public sector posts. L'École Estienne is a technical lycée which trains some students in binding ornamentation. The Principal would like to extend to the training of lower grade conservators for the State sector. Most training of State conservators is carried out in house; qualified bookbinders being taken in as restorers 2nd grade and after training and 5 years of apprenticeship being eligible for promotion to the 1st grade. The private sector is mainly supplied with skilled staff who have qualified in this way. The Desgraves report seeks full-time education facilities for restorers, and more theoretical content, with similar day release facilities for those undergoing State apprenticeships. Despite their own problems, the BN accept training secondments of French and foreign students who are in library employment.

8.3 Preservation in librarianship education Mme. J-M Dureau has advised the Ministry of Education as to the inclusion of more content in librarianship education on conservation and preservation: technical knowledge, the history of the book, and the relationship with historical bibliography, and has outlined the present situation (15). For those entering the public library sector, who are educated mainly at the regional centres, there is very little time allowed for such studies, about 15-20 hours, plus an option for a few of 20-50 hours. At the ENSB, graduate librarians destined for the national and university sector spend about 5 hours on technical conservation plus 10 hours visiting workshops. However, taking the widest view that the history of the book, history of libraries, book production, and the role of national libraries are all relevant, then students have about 100 hours of compulsory content plus a 40 hour option. The other graduate school, L'École des Chartes, which supplies very few librarians, but mainly archivists, provides a 3 year course on the history of the book. The Dureau proposal is that the regional centres should provide a 60 hour specialisation option, on le patrimoine and its conservation; whilst at ENSB 20 hours should be given to the history of the book and 15 hours on preservation techniques, with an 120 hour option on le patrimoine.

8.4 Desgraves and others emphasise the degree of disinterest in older books evinced in France, even some librarians have little interest in practical preser83

vation. ENSB in 1983 published a handbook of techniques for small libraries, intended as a start for distance learning and local staff training schemes.

9. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

9.1 Le Centre de recherches sur la conservation des documents graphiques, part of CNRS, is the main resource for conservation.lt depends for finance both on CNRS and the DLL, plus contract work from the State library, archive and museums sector, e.g. research on the mass deacidification process adopted by the BN. This applied research must give the Centre a greater sense of realism compared with its Italian eqivalent. The scope of current work includes analytical research on papers and cellulose materials, leather and parchment, photographic and cinematographic materials, also microbiology. The Centre also provides courses and conferences for the students of librarianship, archives , museology and the history of art and also graduate restorers ; also courses for those already employed in conservation workshops.Desgraves notes that in 1982 the Centre disposed of only 20 staff, only 9 of them full-time. 9.2 As to development, there are reported elsewhere the mass deacidification plant at BN Sablé, and the videodisc experiments at DBMIST, whilst the Commission is supporting the TRANSDOC experiment in document identification and delivery by electronic means, which includes notably for our interest the use of digital optical discs as a storage and retrieval medium. CNRS are responsible for the latter, using the MC2 system developed by la Société Grenobloise, based on software developed by Integrated Automation Inc. in USA, Alcatel Thomson Gigadisc and a mini 6/Bull computer. In parallel to the optical discs is an automated microfiche system of la Compagnie Générale d'Automation.

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ITALY

1. GENERAL

The great riches of the cultural heritage in Italy, referring to printed and manuscript documents, are scattered in a wealth of libraries; public, religious, and private. So far as the State sector is concerned, there are a number of institutions bearing the designation 'National' among the 47 state libraries. This study has only been able to look at two, the National Central Libraries in Rome and Florence. All state libraries appear to be very tightly controlled by the Ministerio per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali; as to library personnel, budgets and operating programmes. There is little lateral communication between the libraries of legal deposit themselves or between them and the other notable state libraries. Library conservation procedures have to follow the directions of l'Istituto Centrale per la Patologia del Libro (ICPL), one of several autonomous centres reporting direct to the Ministry. We have already noted the conflicting viewpoints of conservators, concerned with the document as artefact, and that of the librarians, who must mainly consider the informational value (and who are faced with the sheer impossibility of conserving more than a tiny proportion of the collections in original form). It is a balance which in Italy seems very heavily weighted to the conservational view. Above all, there is a severe shortage of funds and of qualified personnel for conservation and preservation.

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2. SURVEYS AND COORDINATION

2.1 Over the last ten years libraries in Italy have formed an overall view of the need for conservation and storage of documents, according to one authority. Recently the Ministry of Culture, recognising that there is no overall policy or statement of need, sent a questionnaire on conservation to all state libraries and it is hoped that a national plan will follow. The library profession does not seem to be a prime mover towards combined action, probably because of the highly centralised structure.

2.2 At present the limited resources available for traditional conservation are controlled very strictly from the Ministry. Every state library submits a detailed four-page statement on every work which it is proposed to conserve during the year ahead.These are reviewed by a committee. On the basis of their list of approvals, each library draws up a budget for the personal approval of the Minister. The ICPL lays down exactly how the work shall be carried out, and the committee inspects the completed work in due course.

2.3 There appears to be the likelihood of a reorganisation, with some merger of the functions of the Florence and Rome libraries, and perhaps the Cataloguing Institute.

3. NATIONAL LIBRARIES

3.1 Biblioteca Nazionale Roma, Vittorio Emanuele 11 responded to the study questionnaire and the Director was interviewed. About 20 people are employed in conservation workshops, including work on recent documents. Microfilming facilities are advertised. 3.2 Biblioteca Nazionale Firenze This, of course, is the library which sustained the disastrous floods in November 1966, a dramatic event which aroused conservation consciousness in the whole library world. The great work of conservation is only 60-70% completed even now, 20 years later. 86

One consequence of the floods, in view of the risk of a recurrence, is that the library basement is out of use, causing severe space problems. Two more fortunate results were the inauguration of a microfilming studio and a conservation workshop. A printed catalogue of the microfilmed newspapers, 1984, lists 1,500 titles on 20,000 reels - the 'principal nucleus' of the collections. The programme has also covered Acts of Parliament and other official documents. The conservation workshop has a staff of about 70 persons. At the time of the visit to Florence there was a public exhibition on the causes and prevention and treatment of damage to books and documents. The library acts in some way as a public library, admitting older schoolchildren, which must lead to undesirable overuse of the research collections.

4. L'ISTITUTO CENTRALE PER LA PATOLOGÍA DEL LIBRO

4.1 If R and D in Italy is concentrated on the science and technology related to hand conservation, that is partly due to the great riches in early books and manuscripts which the country possesses and partly to the establishment in 1938 of l'Istituto Centrale per la Patologia del Libro (ICPL). The ICPL is an autonomous body which reports direct to the central office for libraries and cultural institutions within the Ministry of Culture and Environment and appears to have a dominant role in determining conservation policy so far as the state-supported libraries are concerned. ICPL is remitted to: a) study the construction processes of books and their materials and the physical, chemical and biological causes of changes in them b) develop means of prevention, especially for libraries of legal deposit and other notable libraries c) carry out experimental restoration of bibliographical materials, with special regard to rare and precious items d) provide advice and information to scientific and technical personnel engaged in library restoration and to national and regional administrators of libraries. 4.2 The Institute clearly operates on a high level of scientific and technical excellence, publishing scholarly articles in its own Bulletin and Notes, also in learned journals. Since 1977 it has run a School for Conservation and Restoration, the admission level being the higher school leaving certificate, 2nd grade. In addition, regular courses are held for professional librarians; also advanced international seminars. The most notable of the latter was the leadership of the ICPL in the organisation of an intensive course in the conservation of library 87

and archival documents, April, 1980; in collaboration with the PACT group of the Council of Europe. The proceedings were published in Italian and English (18). ICPL advises on the setting up of conservation facilities, and has helped to train personnel, e.g. for the Sicilian region. Staff members visit libraries of all kinds to advise on problems related to prevention and care of rare documents. The Institute collaborates with other research agencies such as the Institute of Paper Science 'Vitelli' at Florence and the leather research station at Naples. 4.3 The ICPL has a curatorial staff of only 12 persons, who between them operate laboratories for environment and hygiene, physics, chemistry, biology and technology, a workshop for conservation and restoration, a library and documentation centre and the administration; in addition to carrying out all the teaching and advisory functions already mentioned. The library has 12,000 books and 300 periodical titles. There were in 1984 48,000 microfilms and 6,000 colour diapositives in the documentation centre. It is little wonder that recent annual reports emphasise again and again the need for more qualified personnel and funds. 4.4 No doubt the Institute is of world standing in its field and is influential in establishing rigorous standards in the conservation workshops of state libraries. But the fact that its mission is so concentrated on the document as artefact, rather than its information content, coupled with the fact that ICPL, unlike its French equivalent, the Centre de recherche sur la conservation des documents graphiques, does not undertake contract work from libraries, archives, and museums, must lead to a certain distancing from the practical situation, which is one of gross inadequacy of resources to needs. ICPL does not administer working binderies and conservation workshops in the state libraries; and yet defines methods and procedures to be followed by them, e.g. a ban on the use of sewing machines in binderies which are working on ordinary modern books. Finally, the concentration of advice to the Ministry on the conservators' rather the library administrators' point of view may account for the lack of national policy on cooperation for mass conversion and mass deacidification.

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5. COOPERATIVE REPRODUCTION

There are no cooperative schemes for microfilming, so far as we discovered, but the national central library at Florence has published its extensive catalogue of newspapers on microfilm and ICPL its extensive lists of microfilms and colour photographs of rare and precious documents. BNC Florence publishes the national bibliography which is to be automated, along with the general library catalogue, as a prototype for other library catalogues.

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UNITED KINGDOM 1. GENERAL

1.1 The United Kingdom (UK) situation is distinguished by three characteristics: English being the principal world language, it is difficult to define closely what is British heritage material; Publications of UK origin are scattered over the world, not just the Englishspeaking world, but also in countries such as Germany (see the Göttingen project); There is an post-imperial obligation to preserve and create surrogates of materials on behalf of former Dominions and successor states, e.g., Canadiana; or oriental books, newspapers, manuscripts and archival records for India, Burma.

1.2 These factors, together with the great richness of the reference resources of the British Library (formerly the British Museum Library) explain the creation by Anglo-American collaboration of retrospective bibliographies and short title catalogues (STCs) with selected or complete locations which have in sight for English-language book production a relative completeness of retrospective bibliographical control and a technique, the machine readable short title catalogue (STC), which librarians elsewhere in the EC see as a model. 1.3 The strong Anglo-American link again explains the adoption in the UK of a comprehensive approach to preservation, on the American model but with more emphasis on conservation and less on brittle books. Also one notices more progress towards a formal national structure for preservation, e.g., the 90

National Preservation Office, and the beginning of an online national register of master microforms, linked to the American RLIN network. The policy emerging is a compromise between the American and traditional European views. Bi-lateral discussions on cooperation, including preservation, have taken place with the Bibliothèque Nationale and the DFG in West Germany. 1.4 The UK is similar to other EC countries in the richness and diversity of its inherited resources of printed and manuscript materials, and in their scattered location; for instance, a recent directory to rare book collections lists more than 120 institutions in London alone.

1.5 There are three national libraries, the British Library (BL) for the whole UK and the National Libraries of Scotland and Wales. Comprehensive legal deposit privileges are enjoyed by all three national libraries, together with the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Cambridge University Library and (for historical reasons) Trinity College Library, Dublin (the library professions in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK work closely together in preservation as in other matters). There is a difference in that the depository libraries other than the BL have to claim from publishers. 1.6 As elsewhere in Europe, British librarians awoke only recently to the preservation threat, for all the lessons of research, the Florence Flood and the growth of American activity during the 1970s. It was on the creation of the British Library on its separation from the British Museum in 1973 that conservation began to be funded with any adequacy there. The rapid build up of the BL conservation resources, and the deliberate policy of that library to seek a cooperative solution to its own problems as well as those of the nation's libraries, probably influenced a belated interest by the professional associations for librarians, notably the Library Association (LA) and the Standing Conference of National and University Libraries (SCONUL), both of which from the early 1980s set up standing committees or sub-committees on the subject, which has appeared with increasing frequency on conference agendas and course programmes. The Library and Information Services Councils (LISCs) which advise Government in the four constituent parts of the UK have also begun to express concern for preservation. This has not resulted as yet in any marked support from Government, in fact all the leadership in preservation planning and coordination is coming from the national libraries and the professional associations. Most laggard of all are the LIS schools, which had all but abandoned the physical aspects of books and other documents as a curriculum topic, to make time for electronic information technology, but the position is changing for the better. 91

2. PLANNING AND COORDINATION

2.1 There is no formal Government coordination of preservation activities, but the initiatives of the BL and the other national and copyright deposit libraries, supported by the professional associations, particularly the setting up of the National Preservation Office within the BL, are beginning to achieve a degree of voluntary cooperation despite severe lack of reources.

2.2 Among the initiatives for mention are the BL RDD support of surveys by Ratcliffe and Stam, and of disaster control; the BL NEWSPLAN project, the National Preservation Office and the work of the national libraries for Scotland and Wales.

3. THE RATCLIFFE REPORT

3.1 Commissioned in 1980 and published in 1983 (19), this report by Dr. F. W. Ratcliffe, Cambridge University Librarian, had two immediate objectives: to establish the facts about preservation policies and practices in libraries in the UK and to identify the educational and training facilities available to librarians and practitioners. Nationwide surveys by questionnaires, interviews and seminars were among the methods used. On both counts the findings were regarded as conclusive.

3.2 Preservation awareness was found to be growing in libraries of all kinds, but few libraries had preservation policies, and of those, only the largest could afford to pursue them in any realistic sense. Moreover, there was no national plan or even the beginnings of one: there were virtually no resources available to meet the need. In regard to education and training, the situation was even worse. Preservation was not included in library school curricula and the opportunities for training of binders and conservators were plainly inadequate.

3.3 The report made recommendations in two areas, firstly within individual libraries, involving little or no additional expenditure and immediately applic92

able, secondly at a national level. Among the national recommendations, the twin needs for cooperative action, for which no mechanism existed at the time, and for a focal point for preservation (some sort of national advisory and research centre) were of primary importance. The status, funding and location of the latter needed further clarification but involvement of the BL in any such undertaking seemed essential to its success. The importance of cooperation with other interested parties, archivists, the book trade, the paper and printing industries and science and research was emphasised. A decisive contribution to the preservation problem would result from the use of acid-free paper and durable bindings in book production. The continuing involvement of the Library and Information Services Councils in promoting a national preservation policy should be sought, in order to sustain the momentum of the present research and the interest and awareness growing in libraries.

3.4 The enquiry began to have beneficial side effects even in its preparation, which was a participative process. For example, several major libraries concerted their needs for conservation materials; whilst interested librarians, archivists, conservators, library school teachers and scientists were brought together for the first time. Awareness was promoted by the enquiry itself, even though some of the responses to the questionnaire showed a marked ignorance of what was involved.

3.5 An 80% response to the questionaire was very satisfactory. 81% reported medium to high use of collections. Only 9 libraries had a written policy statement, but the vivid difference from American practice in this respect perhaps reflects a different management style in some degree.

3.6 Some of the main conclusions were: (1) widespread and growing interest in preservation in all types of library (2) recognition by senior administrators of the urgent need for preservation policies (3) almost total absence of formal preservation policies (4) no pattern of preservation priorities nationally or locally (5) no sign of a national approach, of cooperation or coordination (6) low expenditure, with the notable exception of the British Library and a very few others (7) a minority of libraries can fully adjust the environment, few monitor stack conditions, two thirds have no system for shelf surveys, not all environmental hazards are recognised (8) the majority of libraries rely on external facilities for all binding and conser93

vation; the work is not overseen by senior personnel (9) general awareness of microform potential for preservation, but funds restrict to specific items as need arises; virtually no microform preservation programmes, only a few have appropriate microform production and storage facilities (10) general approval for a 'self-financing' national centre; almost half the libraries make use of existing scientific expertise, few subscribe to conservation journals (11) no evidence of coordination of scientific and technical research (12) little evidence of conservation training among newly recruited professionally qualified staff at any level, and little provision for conservation in the curricula of library schools or in the colleges of further and higher education which cater for library staff (13) no less inadequate provision for the training of binders and conservators; comparatively few college courses at an appropriate level; the changed [reduced term] conditions of apprenticeship have not improved preservation propects in libraries (14) little understanding among library staff and less among readers about their conservation role; few libraries provide inhouse training; some give basic user instruction in the handling of books (15) very few libraries have any kind of contingency plans formulated to meet emergencies, large or small

3.7

Recommendations

Activities within individual libraries Libraries should: ( 1 ) inculcate conservation as a major policy matter in their governing body and among other policy makers (2) aim to create preservation awareness in all library staff (3) express conservation priorities in budgetary terms, either new monies or reallocation of expenditure (4) introduce conservation surveys of stock as routine management (5) formulate plans, if possible regionally, to meet emergency situations affecting stock, both preventative and remedial measures (6) review binding and repair procedures, use acid free boxes, try to preclude damage in the binding process (7) compile a conservation policy statement 94

Cooperative activities Libraries should: (1) press for the inclusion of conservation within the curricula of library schools, through the professional associations (2) promote training for binders and conservators in appropriate educational institutions and seek adequate salaries and career opportunities commensurate with their status and importance (3) seek to bring preservation requirements before the associations of the book trade, [and the] paper, printing and allied industries (4) establish guidelines for librarians on minimum standards in dealing with binders and produce a manual for library staff on conservation (5) create a National Register of Microform Masters and in so doing aim to improve standards of production, introduce bibliographic controls and encourage cooperative action (6) promote coordination of preservation effort also with the archives profession and others, (7) examine possibilities of cooperation in existing areas of activity such as collection development (with reference to American models) and in new areas such as instruction courses for existing staff, at local and national level (8) emphasise environmental control standards, noting the requirements of new media (9) urge that a means of [mass] deacidification be provided on a cooperative basis, also photographic equipment, etc (10) press for a national advisory and research centre

4. THE STAM REPORT

4.1 Whilst the Ratcliffe investigation was in progress, BL RDD invited Dr D . H . Stam, then Director of the Research Libraries of the New York Public Library, to give a brief overview (34) of the British preservation situation from an American outlook. In the course of a 3-week tour, March 1983, he made observations on the similarities and differences'. . . nothing remotely comparable to the ravages of paper decay . . . in American research libraries'; lack of publicity in UK; similar inadequacy of means to conserve rich and diverse collections;'. . . indifference at the highest level . . .'and [among librarians] '. . . a malaise of despair over the intractability of the problem.' 95

4.2 He drew attention to the importance of screening and selection, drawing comparisons with the archives profession; cautioned against too much concentration on conserving the book as physical artefact; noted the strong relationship between preservation and collection development, and recommended more attention to the latter. The need to keep originals after copying should be carefully considered; decisions on treatment should balance current need with likely future demand. A number of technical questions were discussed.

4.3 The report finally lists the prerequisites of a national preservation plan, which are: awareness: leadership: cooperation: communication: national and regional conservation centres: international cooperation: resources and budgetary strategy: education and training.

5. DISASTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

5.1 Although the disastrous Florence Flood in 1966 dramatised the threat to our library heritage posed by natural calamities, in fact there is frequent occurrence of disasters, large and small, in libraries everywhere, certainly throughout the UK, as has been revealed by a study carried out by the National Library of Scotland (20), and in another, by Mr I. T. Jenkin, sponsored by the BL RDD. (21) An essential part of preservation planning is to seek to identify likely causes of loss or damage and to take active steps to prevent them and to take contingency precautions to deal with events that nevertheless occur. 5.2 The planning manual for disaster control in Scottish libraries and record offices, 1985, analyses responses to a questionnaire under the headings of: perceived potential problems: especially burst pipes, fire, and malicious damage; building statistics: age, inspection,cleaning,security, air conditioning; protective storage; previous disasters: fire (10.5%), flood (33%); presence of alarm systems: intruder, water and fire; conservation or binding facilities, duplicate catalogues. The main sections of the manual deal with prevention, insurance, reaction, and recovery. The appendices comprise a model disaster control plan, professional services for disaster control, desirable building design features, and a bibliography. 96

5.3 The Jenkin report, entitled Disaster planning and preparedness was commissioned after the Scottish report, deals with England and Wales and is in two parts: a survey of practices and procedures, 1986, and an outline disaster control plan, to be issued March 1987. The analysis of a questionnaire shows that there had been 755 types of incidents between 1975 and 1985 and that the total of incidents had increased by 55% comparing the first and second five-year periods in the survey. Even if this is partly due to better record keeping, it is alarming. Water damage headed the list with 406 incidents, fire 33, security breaches 150, and 166 related to poor storage conditions.

5.4 The study found that only a small number of institutions have a disaster plan (6.6%); even fewer were now preparing plans (3.7%); but there was a high level of interest in a flexible master plan and in training in plans and procedures.

5.5 The Jenkin disaster control plan does not seek to duplicate the Planning Manual issued by the National Library of Scotland, but contains very detailed guidance on the practicalities of disaster prevention and control, for institutional use; bearing in mind the needs of smaller institutions. Extracts from existing institutional plans are given.

5.6 The National Preservation Advisory Committee (see below) is giving attention to the need for regional and local cooperation in reaction to disasters. At the regional level, the national libraries in Scotland and Wales are active; as an example at local level, the Bodleian Library offers leadership and advice to the college libraries of the University of Oxford. The sort of cooperative action possible is agreeing access to freeze drying facilities·in case of flood. Eventually, it is hoped that the whole UK will have 'disaster cover'.

6.

THE NATIONAL PRESERVATION OFFICE

6.1 Immediately on the publication of the Ratcliffe Report, the BL announced a response to one of its major recommendations, by setting up a National Preservation Office (NPO), with an advisory committee, of which Dr. F. W. Ratcliffe accepted the chairmanship. The NPO has functions of information, advice and coordination; organises short courses and conferences; issues 97

publications; and generally has done a good job of awareness raising coupled with guidance to the profession as to what to do once they are determined to act. The Ratcliffe Report envisaged an independent centre which would comprise, along with the functions just mentioned those of a central conservation and preservation centre as recommended in the Stam Report. There is no possibility of funding such a centre at present, certainly not if it is to be mainly dependent on contract work from libraries and archives; however, the National Preservation Advisory Committee has deliberately been formed with a strong and wide ranging membership, including archivists, a publishing representative and scientists, as well as librarians. The Committee is encouraged to range widely over the field and if financial prospects improve, it could act as a steering body for an independent centre.

6.2 The NPO is part of the BL Preservation Service and is managed by a single professional with secretarial support. Perhaps its most prominent success to date is the co-organisation of the Library Association 1986 Annual Conference, which was entirely devoted to preservation - something inconceivable even a few years ago. Another success was the TV screening of a professionallymade film 'Keeping your words', which is available as a videocassette for sale or hire. Neither the NPO nor its Advisory Committee have any powers to coordinate preservation activity in the UK, but experience shows that progress can be made voluntarily if agencies are aware of what is going on relevant to their own concerns.

7. NATIONAL LIBRARIES

THE BRITISH LIBRARY

7.1 The principal national library for the UK, the British Library (BL), was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of the library departments of the British Museum with various other institutions. One of the first actions of the BL Board was to commission a study from Dr Ν. Seeley, University of London, on the conservation and preservation of the collections in the former BM 98

library departments. His report, finding that there was a backlog of C.250K early books in urgent need of attention, and that storage and environmental conditions were often deficient, led to the setting up of a Conservation Branch with a brief to build up conservation resources as fast as possible, almost regardless of cost. The large bindery on the premises was raised to the standard of a conservation bindery and commercial binders were encouraged and helped to equip and train staff for lower level conservation work. Microfilming facilities were also enlarged and the BL entered into several very big commercial microfilming contracts, partly to increase the preservation effort.

7.2 In 1983 the conservation and reprographic/photographic facilities were merged to form the Directorate of Preservation, with its head reporting to the Director General. The Preservation Service began to take a broader view, of cooperative solutions involving other major libraries in the UK and agreements to cooperate on an international level, with the Research Libraries Group in USA, the Bibliothèque Nationale, France, and the DFG in Germany. There are links too with the national libraries of Canada, Australia and New Zealand and other countries in the Commonwealth. The National Preservation Office was set up. The Research and Development Department (RDD) sponsored policy research into preservation and pursued the campaign for use of permanent paper in British books.

7.3 Another sign of growing sophistication (or of greater awareness of the sheer impossibility of conserving even the old and precious books and materials) was a decision to swing the balance away from traditional conservation towards planned selection, and a greater involvement of the curatorial and service staff in preservation decisions. Boxing and first aid measures 'furbishing', were emphasised as preventive and deferred conservation, and progress was made to more systematic microfilming and the creation of an online national register of master microforms. The BL assumed the leadership of voluntary cooperation, working with the other national libraries in the country. Research and development was sponsored; particularly in the devising of a non-damaging photocopier and an electronic digitising device; also a process for the bulk strengthening of acid-damaged paper. A five year strategy for preservation was set up within the corporate plan of the Library, in which it is linked to the planning for collection development and public services.

7.4 The BL has a scheme of grants to other libraries and archival collection? for conservation, cataloguing and improving access to collections of national importance, which has been aided in recent years by a grant from the Wolfson Foundation. In the ten years to 1985 nearly £2M was given, and in the past few 99

months grants totalling more than £300K have been given for preservation alone. This money usually goes to small, often private institutions which hold vital collections of books and archives.

7.5 As well as the problem of conservation needed by +250K early books and an unqualified amount of special materials, including sound recordings and newspapers as particular examples, the brittle book problem is finally arriving. Sample surveys indicate that 15% of the post-1850 collections (more than 1.6M volumes) are on brittle paper, the period 1870-1900 being the worst. 7.6 To cope with these problems, the Preservation Service has a staff of 331 persons, accounts for 42% (£6.72M) of the annual expenditure, excluding overheads, of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division. Although this amount includes commercial photographic and reprographic work, it indicates a scale of expenditure much greater than the combined expenditure of all other libraries in the UK. Some output statistics for 1985/86 are: 158,675 items conserved or bound, 17,503,904 frames/images of which 7,090,482 were preservation archival master negative frames.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND

7.7 Although created in its present form only in 1925, NLS inherited the collections of the 17th century Advocates' Library and with it the continuing privilege of legal deposit. NLS has a stock of 6-7 million printed books, including many early books, also rich and numerous mss. collections. It is estimated that 15-20% of stock needs some kind of preservation treatment. Much of this is acid decay, as a survey begun in 1985 revealed. The interim evidence suggests that books published between 1830 and 1940 are most at risk and that the environmental conditions are critical to their survival.

7.8 NLS quickly followed the BL in taking a broadly-based approach to preservation. A Preservation Division was created in 1985 by merger of the conservation and reprographic sections. Internal resources have been strengthened. New machinery for leaf casting and lamination has been acquired. The NLS now employs c.40 preservation staff at an annual cost of 100

£0.6M. External activities include an advisory service and the production of a disaster control manual for all libraries and record offices in Scotland (see above). NLS is active in awareness activities. NLS is the most active library in preservation next to the BL, with which there is close cooperation.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF WALES

7.9 Wales has no National Art Gallery, so that there are complementary picture collections in the National Library and the National Museum. The Library also serves as a Record Repository, thus its collections, and preservation problems, are diverse; comprising books, mss., archives, maps, prints, posters, pictures, photographs, sculpture and audiovisual material. The Library sees a clear responsibility to lead the national preservation effort in Welsh libraries, working within a British context. So far activities have taken the form of conferences, seminars and practical workshops; NLW issues a list of suppliers of conservation materials. 7.10 It is appropriate to mention other cooperative efforts in the Principality ; notably a report by Mr M. C. Ranson (22), commissioned by LISC Wales, in which the formulation of a general preservation policy is urged on the Welsh Office, in the context of planned ILL, and discarding. No central action has yet resulted, mainly due to lack of funds.

7.11 Within NLW a Conservation Co-ordinator was appointed in 1983. A survey of conservation needs and resources, together with future recommendations was made in 1985. The recommendations covered environment, storage and handling, cleaning, exhibitions, acid paper, conservation backlogs, microfilming, needs of non-book materials, disaster planning, the binding and conservation section, and the need to promote awareness of the preservation problem. The main recommendations were for publicity, good housekeeping,boxing, the strengthening of binding, conservation and photographic facilities, consideration of preservation needs in building plans, the urgent priority to treat the photographic archive and the provision of an annual fund to help other collections of importance in Wales. Financial restraint inhibits reponse to the report. An area disaster plan has been prepared. 101

8. ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES

8.1 Mention is first made of the three libraries privileged by legal deposit; i.e. the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Cambridge University Library and Trinity College Library, Dublin - which last is dealt with under the Republic of Ireland. All three libraries, and especially the Bodleian, which is the second in rank of collections to the British Library, have vast conservation and preservation problems, and facilities which are totally inadequate, although superior to provision in most other academic libraries. 8.2 Cambridge spends about 6% of budget on preservation as a whole (c£276K in 1985/86), has a conservation workshop and bindery, also microfilming facilities. There is no systematic microfilming for preservation, although the Librarian estimates that the collections in their clOOK 'irreplaceable titles' alone, would justify expenditure c.£4M if additional funds could be found. The head of conservation, a trained conservator/binder, reports direct to the Librarian. Severe resistance would be expected from the governing body of the Library, themselves among scholarly users, should it be proposed to substitute microfilm copies for damaged originals in the reading rooms.

8.3 At Oxford, the college libraries, although they take advice from the Bodleian Library, are often better funded to undertake conservation. The Bodleian has chosen a mainstream policy of deferred conservation - 'the protection programme' - using acid free boxes and envelopes extensively. There is no budget for a systematic microfilming programme. Conservation expenditure has decreased in real terms since 1980, although it has had a larger share of a declining budget. Awareness has been raised but funds are still very inadequate. Air conditioning has been installed in the stacks.

8.4 As to university libraries generally, the University Grants Committee expenditure on 'binding', which would include some conservation but mostly current binding, was £2.448M in 1984/85. This excludes salaries. The picture of conservation in academic libraries is discouraging, to judge from a questionnaire, organised by Mr Ian R. M. Mowat, then of Glasgow University library, and reported to the LA Annual Conference in 1986. Forms were issued to university and polytechnic libraries, the questions drawn from recommendations in the Ratcliffe Report, thus the responses are indicative of its results in this important sector. 102

8.5 On a 61% response, concern for conservation and preservation was seen to be still low, despite a reported increase in staff awareness (64%). Mr. Mowat concludes that is much due to a change of philosophy towards an 'access rather than holdings' approach, whereby acquisitions and ILL take priority over preservation, even in libraries with collections of national importance. This viewpoint is expressed forcibly by one (technological) university librarian as 'how to work a copy hardest until we throw it away'. The Ratcliffe Report and to a lesser extent the endeavours of the National Preservation Office, were said to have had impact. However, only 19% had a separate budget head and most of this is probably spent on current binding; 38% had actually reduced binding expenditure; 13% had adopted a written preservation policy; and 15% had carried out stock surveys in the past five years. The lack of stock surveys, as the author affirms, loses the shock stimulus that most would find. His own library had discovered that 27% of the older and rare books needed binding attention, although the text block was usually sound. By contrast, less than 10% of the modern books in Glasgow university library had damaged covers, but 33% gave a pH reading of 5.5 or less, indicating a state of brittleness. He regretted that few librarians at the middle management level had a knowledge of, or sympathy with, the needs of conservation.

8.6 In an endeavour to change the prevailing attitude to preservation, SCONUL, the association representing national and university libraries, has set up a working group on preservation, has devoted conference time to the topic, and has promulgated a draft statement of policy guidelines on preservation, appending samples from a few libraries. SCONUL has also pressed for the listing of library collections of national or local importance, or of specialist significance.

9. PUBLIC LIBRARIES

The pressure for an 'access rather than holdings' strategy is most severe in the public library sector. But many of the older established city libraries contain special collections, and individual old and rare books. It is the local studies collection which renders all sizeable public libraries unique; local newspapers being the most under threat of acidity. Hence the BL looks to find most of its partners in the NEWSPLAN programme (see below) in public libraries. 103

10. COOPERATIVE CATALOGUES AND AUTOMATION

10.1 Retrospective national bibliography, in the form of the 'short title catalogue' or STC, was pioneered by the original STC of English books, 14751640, followed by 'Wing', 1640-1700, and then by the massive ESTC 17011800, still in progress, which introduced automation and international shared cataloguing on a large scale. It is the ESTC concept, (23), developed by Dr. R. C. Alston which has been adopted as a model for other projects internationally. Although ESTC will not reach its official completion until 1989, already a 19c STC (NSTC) is begun, initially 1801-1815. Finally should be mentioned the Incunabula STC, (ISTC), a world project based on the BL, now in progress.

10.2 These STC projects, with the exception of ESTC, will be bibliographies with a few locations, not union catalogues. They will be of limited use, therefore, as a basis for a national register of master microforms, which is the present interest. That purpose will be better served by the conversion to machine readable form of the BL General Catalogue (GK3); and of other great general catalogues in major universities. Such projects are being pursued, but will be very costly and take years to complete. This is why the BL, from late 1986, is compiling a base file for an automated national register from its own stock of microforms.

11. COOPERATIVE MICROFILMING AND A NATIONAL REGISTER

11.1

Newsplan

Newsplan, a long term cooperative programme to create a complete microfilm archive of British provincial newpapers, is based on the National Newspaper Library, part of the BL. The national archive lost much of its provincial holdings by an air attack during World War II. A systematic attempt is being made to replace and expand it, in cooperation with other libraries and archives, region by region. A pilot scheme in south-west England was begun by a survey 104

of the state of preservation of holdings of newspapers in libraries, museums, archives offices and newspaper offices in the region, and the extent of preservation microfilming so far undertaken. (24) There are no other systematic programmes for preservation microfilming of a cooperative nature, and the BL is the only individual library known to have such a programme. Concentrated on the Newspaper Library, its priorities are determined by a balance between the needs of external orders, preservation, and saving on space and binding costs;however, originals are still kept. There is a long term project for A bibliography of British newspapers, produced in collaboration between the BL and the LA. According to Ratcliffe, most university libraries do microfilming to meet ILL demand or to special order from a reader. Experience at Cambridge is that although such microform negatives are kept, few are asked for again. Ratcliffe found (1983) that 69 of 323 libraries had microfilming facilities.

11.2 British and international microform publishers are active in the UK: for the most part, they work to good editorial standards and prepare archival masters. The ESTC and NSTC cooperative cataloguing projects have brought in their wake major and systematic projects for microform publishing. The US heritage microfilming programme is benefitting by a planned accretion of newly-microfilmed material, which the American Trust for the British Library is generously supplying to fill gaps in BL collections. The holding library in USA retains the master negative, which is recorded in the national register, and supplies a copy to the BL.

11.3 The BL in late 1986 announced that its holdings of c. 80,000 master microforms are being automated to create a base file for a National Register of Master Microforms. There will be exchange of records with the RLIN network in America, to which the BL has online connection. Also on a bi-national level, the BL and the Bibliothèque Nationale exchange lists of masters, and similar developments are hoped for with West Germany.

12. CONSERVATION RESOURCES AND TRAINING

12.1 Craft binding is alive in the UK, although the period of apprenticeship has been reduced. Most conservators working in libraries stem from a binding background and learn new skills on the job. Accounts by Ratcliffe and Mowat (above) show that most libraries have reduced their expenditure on binding in 105

recent years, that they mostly put it out to the private sector, and that not much is spent on higher conservation, outside of the BL and a very few other libraries. The binderies controlled by the BL, with over 100 workers, are very large by any standard, considering that they have gradually been relieved of new binding and low level conservation, which is put out. The latter practice was preceded by years of association with one or two large commercial binderies to develop conservation capacity. One of these binderies now advertises a conservation department; thus the rest of the UK library sector has benefited.

12.2 Ratcliffe, 1983, found that, of 332 respondents, 50 libraries had an in-house bindery, 26 a conservation workshop, 144 had access to outside resources, 198 put all specialist work out to the private sector, 260 put all standard binding out.

12.3 According to Forde (25), the education and training of craft binders is offered at a number of non-graduate colleges: the main training institutions for archival conservators are Camberwell, Brunei, Guildford and Gateshead. Courses last between 2-4 years with different levels of general and specialised work. Such courses are followed by considerable bench experience before the conservator can be considered fully qualified. As conservation becomes more of a recognised profession (archivists and conservators being seen as equal professions) higher expectations emerge, and some inter-professional tensions as well. 12.4 As in France, there has been recent controversy over the relative neglect of conservation and preservation management in the curricula of LIS schools. Growing pressure to take account of information technology had all but squeezed consideration of the physical book out of curricula, and few teachers are now competent to lecture on historical bibliography. This only reflected the perceived priority given to IT by the practising profession, and the state of the job market, where there is some growth in the information service area. After pressure from the growing preservation 'lobby', including some heads of LIS schools, the position is changing for the better. A draft Curriculum for the teaching of conservation, by Dr. J. Feather, was published in October, 1986 (16). A number of short courses are being directed at senior librarians - on preservation management - and conferences make frequent reference to the subject. The 1986 Annual Conference of the LA was entirely devoted to preservation.

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12.5 Conservation and preservation are among the themes of the moment in UK librarianship, not least due to the efforts of the various BL components, as coordinated for publicity purposes by the National Preservation Office (see above); together with the efforts of the professional associations. But Mowat's recent survey (see above) shows that many senior professionals remain to be convinced. An official UGC/NAB 'Transbinary study' of LIS schools makes scarcely a mention of conservation or preservation.

13. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

13.1 The BL Research and Development Department interests itself in policy research into preservation; e.g. the Ratcliffe enquiry into policy and resources for conservation, the American overview by Stam, the Jenkin work on disaster planning, and the interest in permanent paper taken by the BNB Research Fund (a BL-sponsored agency). Related to our theme is the work that is going on between the BL and electronic publishers into the archiving and better commercial exploitation of databases. A company, Publishers Databases Ltd. has launched The Knowledge Warehouse project, with public joint-funding. One of its objectives is to test electronic archiving.

13.2 The operational divisions of the BL have partnered commercial companies in the development of a non-damaging overhead photocopier, marketed as The Archivist, and a digital optical copier, marketed as The Optronic Digitiser, also a more modest but useful copying device, The Bookmark System, for slipping between the pages of a tightly-bound book. The Preservation Service has funded contract research into leather preservation and bulk paper strengthening.

13.3 The Institute of Paper Science at UMIST, Manchester, liaises with the preservation effort through the National Preservation Office. 107

14. MASS DEACIDIFICATION AND BULK PAPER STRENGTHENING

The BL is pursuing a system of bulk paper strengthening combined hopefully with deacidification in the one process, that would theoretically extend the scope of mass treatment to some printed documents which had so lost their inherent strength as to be suitable for nothing but copying and discarding. The target price is under £5 per volume treated. Developments are described earlier.

15. PERMANENT PAPER

15.1 Investigation (26) and persuasion have reached the stage of a brochure (copy supplied) issued jointly by the LA, the NPO and the Publishers Association (PA), September, 1986, in which 'The Council of the Publishers Association and its Production Committee commend to all publishers of non-ephemeral books and journals, that they should now most seriously investigate changing over to permanent paper. ' A list is given of British paper mills which offer or might be interested to offer permanent paper, (at least 5 mills make paper conforming to the ANSI standard), together with certain paper merchants. The ANSI standard is mentioned, but there is no urgent movement in the UK to produce a BSI standard, which would take too long to finalise. Instead, the British Paper and Boardmakers Federation and the Publishers Association are devising a code of practice, to be signed by all interested parties. This will have to be monitored, and be simple and reasonable.

15.2 The Chairman of the Production Committee of the PA has pointed out (27) that permanence in publishers' edition binding is a matter of more than the paper. The books must also be bound with strong permanent materials, using strong binding processes. After that it is the responsibility of the owners to control their use carefully and to store them in ideal conditions. 108

15.3 The U K position is a hopeful one, because the PA are behind it. But their support depends on acid free paper being usable 'at no significant extra cost.' So far it appears that there is a small increase in the printing process, c. 5%, due to the less absorbent qualities of the paper. This is not critical.

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WEST GERMANY

1. GENERAL

1.1 West Germany has a strong regional and local tradition of administration which has been reiterated under the post-war Federal Republic. Education and cultural matters, with few exceptions, are the responsibility of the Länder, and this includes all major libraries except the Deutsche Bibliothek, Frankfurt, a Federal responsibility. This is the main library of legal deposit and produces the national bibliography, but is specifically directed not to build up stocks retrospectively. The Prussian State Library, the de-facto national library in Berlin, was split by the division of Germany in 1945 and no attempt has been made to replace it as a single institution; in fact, there is a strong policy to the contrary. This is not to give the impression that Germany is anything but rich in older and modern books and other library materials, only that they are widely dispersed.

1.2 Since c. 1890, when a policy decision was made not to have a national reference library, the needs of researchers have been met by a generous policy of free interlibrary lending, supported by State and Federal grants which not only help to finance the interlending (ILL) system, but also the building up of a series of major libraries and subject specialist libraries, so as to form a distributed national collection. The great expansion of higher education during the 1950s and 1960s, coupled with a deliberate policy of démocratisation, illustrated by the Bibliotheksplan of 1973, which advocated opening up resources to the general public and to 110

many non-university institutions, led to a degree of overuse of library materials which cast doubt on the philosophy of unrestricted lending, even of old and rare books. No doubt the advent of the photocopier accelerated the disastrous increase of damage to scarce books.User-operated photocopiers are even present in the Deutsche Bibliothek. By 1983, c2 million items were being loaned per year, half in the form of photocopies.

1.3 Another factor creating demand for ILL of older material is that 35 of the 60 universities have been established since 1945. Although the acquisition funds were generous, and the new libraries purchased reprints extensively, obviously there is a dependence on the older foundations for historic material.

2. COORDINATING BODIES

2.1 The body responsible for the cultivation of supraregional resource sharing and coordination is the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Bonn, which is advised by a library committee. All library provision is the responsibility of the Länder (regions), except that the Deutsche Bibliothek, the library of legal deposit since World War II, is a federal institution. DFG gives substantial funds towards strengthening the collections of the general and special libraries, to improve bibliographical control, for cooperative microfilming of newspapers and in default of a national library, has represented West German libraries in bi-national discussions on library cooperation with the British Library. The DFG is appreciative of the major financial assistance which the Volkswagen Foundation has given to library development; it also seeks to persuade other federal ministries, e.g. the Ministry for Research and Technology (BMFT), to fund appropriate library research.

2.2 The Deutsche Bibliotheksinstitut, Berlin, is jointly financed by the federal and regional governments, as a central institute for the development of libraries. It works through commissions, of which there are c20 at present and one or two more are created annually. Although these have not much influenced the preservation issue so far, there is hope for an imminent Kommission für Bestandserhaltung, with 5 members, including Dr H. Bansa, Munich. The 111

Institute is engaged in design and supply of library requirements such as shelving, so could perhaps be involved in the supply of conservation materials. A role has been suggested in promotion of awareness of the preservation threat.

2.3 The Stiftung Volkswagenwerk has particularly interested itself in libraries, through the financing of the investigations by Dr Fabian and a programme for equipping libraries with microfilming studios.

3. PLANNING AND SURVEY

3.1 There has been no national survey of library collections from the preservation aspect, but the DFG is currently in discussion with the Ministry for Research (BMFT) about commissioning a study of the collections in key libraries, with a view to forming a national policy. The study would look at the state of conservation, including acidified paper and at conservation capacity. The DFG confirm that few if any libraries have made such surveys. For this study, the question was put to four major libraries. Munich reported the 19th and 20th century collections affected by acid overall, but not so badly as in countries with unfavourable climates, Berlin also stated that collections published from the mid-19th century to 1950 were affected, and that a small proportion of books, newspapers and periodicals is already brittle.

3.2 There have been several surveys to support the ILL system and the bibliographical control of collections of older material. That by Fabian follows, others are 'Special collections in German libraries', W. Gebhart, 1977, and Studie der Altbestandserfassung in wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken der BRD, . . . Landwehrmeyer, 1987. Following a recommendation in the Fabian report, its author is now director of a five year project to produce the Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände, which will collect data on conservation but may only publish it in a general statement. 112

4. THE FABIAN REPORT

4.1 Responding to widespread concern about the effectiveness of the highly decentralised library system in supplying literature both historical and current for research workers, and of the deleterious consequences for preservation of the interlending system, the Volkswagen Foundation supported an investigation by Prof. Dr. B. Fabian, whose report in 1983 (28) gave rise to a continuing debate and much important action; indeed only the major recommendation about the creation of a distributed national archival library remains to be implemented in some way. His report confirmed that library after library was refusing to provide material except for on-site use. Scholarly work involving the use of rare books was becoming more and more difficult and complaints about the inaccessibility of research material were becoming more and more frequent. Fundamental changes were recommended. Subsequently, the DFG set up in 1984 a task force headed by Dr. F. G. Kaltwasser, Munich, to discuss on the basis of the Fabian report and to work on ideas like the greater provision of book loans by microform substitutes, and the better recording and preservation of historic collections.

4.2 Taking primarily the standpoint of the humanities scholar, Fabian saw the need for comprehensive reference collections as greater than the facility of remote access to individual items via interlibrary loan, although both were were necessary. The sheer scale of current interlending and the inclusion of old and rare books had bred a lack of respect for the latter which contributed to an alarming rate of damage and decay of irreplaceable material, arising from a combination of bad handling, photocopying and damage in transit. As a result, individual libraries were putting up barriers to use and the great research libraries were overburdened.

4.3 His conclusion was that the needs both of researchers in the humanities and of conservation called for a degree of centralism lacking in the present system and philosophy. As to the justified need for remote access, large-scale microfilming and the provision of microfiche substitutes was the best answer at the moment. 4.4 Taking as an ideal the comprehensive reference collections of the British Library (as unified in London), he put forward the concept of a national 113

reference resource, divided chronologically into several segments, which would be allocated in blocks to 4 or 5 major libraries: at Munich, Wolfenbüttel, Göttingen, Frankfurt and perhaps also Berlin. They would build up their already strong collections mostly in microform, and would be centres both for reference and lending, again mostly in microform. Borrowing libraries would receive two copies of books in microfiche, one for the reader to keep, the other as an acquisition to the collections; whilst the providing library would retain and list its growing collection of master microforms, as a contribution to a future national register.

4.5 Since lack of records of research materials led to overuse of catalogued collections and the risk of loss or neglect of the unrecorded items, there was a need to press on with individual and collective catalogues and for automated cataloguing of older material, with a note of the availability of microform copies. There should be improved facilities for restoration.

4.6 A specific recommendation was for a general survey of rare book collections in West Germany and sufficiently detailed description of their contents to substitute to a degree for the much wanted but long to be awaited national retrospective union catalogue. This latter recommendation was quickly supported by the Volkswagen Foundation in the form of a grant for 5 years to produce the Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände-, a collaborative effort of which Prof. Fabian is the Director.

5. DFG LIBRARY COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP

5.1 A working group of the DFG Library Committee, led by Dr. F. G. Kaltwasser and briefed to hold discussions on the basis of the Fabian report recently published their conclusions (29) on the problems of literature provision. They envisaged resources for implementation of their recommendations coming partly from the DFG, partly from foundations and the rest from libraries. Historic book collections are threatened by various factors: paper and binding failures, overuse, accidents in transit, photocopying, and theft. Protective measures were necessary. Organisational and technical procedures must be established to allow the safe use of these collections in practicable and reason114

able ways. Hence proposals are made for reserves, microfiching and restoration. A register of the old collections must be seen as one of the foremost exercises. Recommendations: 1.1 Construction of reserves for security of valuable collections. Removal to a special bookstore, supply in a special reading room, special attention to conservation and restoration, Measures should be taken by individual libraries and financed as to recurrent costs. The Fabian Handbook (see above) should be a useful guide. 1.2 Microfiche production. ILL supply in this form, the master negative at the lending library, a copy for the borrowing library to lend to reader and later put into stock and local catalogue. Charges should not be too high. Librarians and publishers should cooperate in the publication in microform of books and series of special interest A national register (Nachweis) of microform masters should be made, remembering the interest of foreign countries. All libraries should band together in this programme, which would be less damaging to originals than making paper copies, and would take up less space. National DIN archival standards should be observed. Extra personnel and resources were essential for research libraries - could the Volkswagen Foundation help? 1.3 Restoration. Central restoration workshops were required,catering for the needs of libraries in a region and controlled by librarians, who would set priorities. There was the special problem of acid paper. One or more mass deacidification plants, on American models, should be set up for the whole country. Additional funds would be needed. 1.4 Recording of old collections. A census of incunabula exists. Intensify work on 16c. books. Need for a grand aggregation of titles, building on the present conflation of the older catalogues at Munich and Göttingen so as to create a short title catalogue, revised to authority lists and to RAK-WB standards, as a regional and national tool. Various libraries must share the task; a plan was needed. DFG were recommended to pursue a study of older collections, and to look at, e.g., plans for conflating regional catalogues and the central catalogue; selecting libraries with significant collections of older books for a shared project; the possibility of using foreign sources. A central register could be built on the Munich/Göttingen project and through the addition of other libraries lead to an eventual databank, only to 1900. The DFG ought to consider a longer list of libraries for more recent literature. Before forming a concept for the preservation of the older collections, await the report of the Deutsche Bibliotheksinstitut (DBI) Commission on security of a republic-wide lending system of older book collections. The DBI ought to prepare for the production and use of microforms. 115

There was a need for greater awareness among professionals and the public of the threat to older collections. Librarians ought to consider strong measures and the DBI should collect and distribute information to libraries, governing bodies, politicians and users. 2 National literary archive. The central concept in Fabian's book, of a national archive, in chronological segments and distributed between 5 libraries, deserved further study towards an agreed policy. Additional finance would be needed to fill gaps in provision. 3 Rising ILL traffic. The reasons for continued growth of demand are stated. The foregoing proposals for microforms and a register should improve access. 4 Modernisation of technology. More facilities for copying were needed. Watch developments and finance a model project. DFG should test new means, e.g. digital optical discs and means of remote transmission of texts, and try out model projects. The DBI should develop markets for such devices. 5 Improvement of information systems. Following the Fabian recommendations, the DFG should foster an online periodicals database and a cooperative catalogue, working through an open network. 6 Library organisational structure. Study was needed of the relationship of the new proposal for a national distributed library archive and the existing subject specialisation system. One copy would not meet the country's needs for reference and lending. 7 Libraries as research stations. A fundamental division into collections for academic and research use is not realisable; nevertheless, improvement can be made by changes in the policy of central libraries for high schools. A strong buildup of research use can be expected. The anticipated growth of small research institutes can only be supported by closer cooperation between academic and central libraries and some integration of premises.

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6. COOPERATIVE CATALOGUES AND AUTOMATION

6.1 As in other countries, it is agreed that the adequate recording of library collections, according to international standards, and their subsequent amalgamation and dissemination, ideally in the form of an automated catalogue with locations, would be a great asset to preservation of the cultural heritage in West Germany. A long-standing but abortive effort to create a national union catalogue comprising the holdings of the Berlin library and the other major libraries of Prussia (later all Germany) achieved only 14 volumes in print; the rest of the manuscript disappeared during the Second World War. The concept was replaced by that of seven regional catalogues, to support the ILL system. These are crude amalgamations of the records of many libraries and unsuitable as a base for a national union catalogue, which is being approached by pragmatic development: limited retrospective ventures, the conflation of local catalogues, and step by step automation.This is not only because of the scale of the problem. It also arises from a fragmented situation reflecting the German regional tradition. There might be particular difficulty in obtaining bibliographical records of the records of the rich resources of the former Silesia, now concentrated in Wroclaw, Poland.

6.2 The DFG has for some years supported projects for bibliographical control; including a successful programme for the cataloguing of manuscripts, and another for cataloguing special collections, accompanied by a guide Special collections in German libraries, W. Gebhart, published by the DFG in 1977. The largest of these projects - English books and their translations in the Göttingen library - is related to the international ESTC project and has brought valuable experience of using the machine readable short title catalogue approach.

6.3 Various retrospective catalogues are in progress. Incunables at the Bavarian State Library and the Freiburg University Library; 16c books at the Bavarian State Library and Wolfenbüttel, as a base file for a national union catalogue of the 16c.; a feasibility study for the 17c. Fabian sees the 18c. as urgently required . . . but a work of the 21st century.

6.4 From the viewpoint of the present study, we must agree with Dr. Gattermann (30) that whilst it is desirable to enter the existence of microform, paper 117

or facsimile copies in these growing catalogues, a separate register of master microforms is more readily possible. But the VK will include notice of master microforms and some leading librarians are of the opinion that a separate register of them will be easily created as a subset.

6.5 To sum up, the strategy for bibliographical control has two elements: 1. The crude conversion of existing records into machine readable form, and their aggregation with first-time automated records, so as to form a simple finding list. Here two streams are coming together: the Verbund Katalog (VK), an amalgamated file of all machine readable records for accessions since the 1960s; and a file of older books, based initially on the conversion and amalgamation of the older catalogues of the Munich and Göttingen libraries, to which will be added in 1987 the similar holdings of 4 or 5 more major libraries holding older books, estimated to total about 6 million items. These two great accumulations will be intercalated in due course, probably under the designation of VK, which is currently available in COM format and from 1987 online. 2. Various retrospective accumulations of short title catalogue (STC) type, chronologically divided, with a cataloguing standard which Dr. Fabian hopes will be 'between STC and ESTC'(Anglo-American models). This will involve inventory checking, use of authority files and catalogue revision. Cooperation is already taking place with similar projects based on the British Library; e.g. ESTC. It is this element which will form the eventual national retrospective bibliography.

7. COOPERATIVE MICROFILMING

7.1 The one cooperative programme designed for preservation purposes is the DFG-financed Microfilmarchiv der Deutschsprachigen Presse e. v. for historical newspapers in libraries and archives. The organisation holds the master negatives, amounting to a cumulative national newspaper archive. It can provide information and supply copies of +1800 filmed newspaper titles. It is based in Dortmund. For post-World War II newspapers, the Deutsche Bibliothek accessions all material received by legal deposit on microfilm, the Library holding the master negative and a working copy. The publisher sends newspapers to a private microfilming agency, working to archival standards,and employed by the Library. The originals are discarded after filming. Commercially-published microforms are subject to legal deposit and are entered in the national bibliography. 118

7.2 Substitution for ILL is the main driving force in the German preservation effort, following the Fabian recommendations. There is debate on the implications of microform substitution for ILL: it will cause delays, extra costs will be incurred and how are these to be allocated? One suggestion is that the first borrowing library should contribute 10-15% of the filming cost. However, the library profession are agreed that there is a need for the microfilming of rare and fragile material (including brittle books) and for a national register of microfilm masters, probably derived from entries in the emerging national automated catalogue (VK). The Deutsche Bibliotheksinstitut have promulgated standards for microfiche.(31)

7.3 The Stiftung Volkswagenwerk has provided DM 2M over 3 years to set up suitable microfilming facilities in some major libraries, mainly in universities, with the Fabian recommendations in mind.(32) Otherwise, microfilming is undertaken locally to meet customer orders, or for internal preservation by substitution. In 1985, only 23, i.e. less than half, of the university libraries had a film or photographic department of their own, although 30 such institutions advertised the provision of microforms. Only 16 libraries could duplicate microfilm, and a lesser number microfiche, which is generally preferred as the medium for book substitution.

7.4 As in other countries, wholesale production of microform substitutes will raise copyright difficulties. One suggestion is a one-time payment of DM 20 to the publisher or 6 pfennigs per page.

7.5 Apparently, commercial ventures in microform publication of early materials in Germany have not been very successful. However, the Bavarian State Library are in negotiation for a major microfiche series drawn from the older collections. This library has the practice of microfilming all items inhouse, by own resources; except for commercial purposes, when the items are filmed by a commercial unit which is accommodated and supervised by the Library. 7.6 Recognising user resistance to microforms, Schibel (33) recommends the creation of paper copies by means of non-damaging photocopiers (The British Library has developed an indirect photocopier - The Archivist - for this purpose), their binding into volumes and substitution for originals instead of microfiche. This is a minority view, most librarians preferring the compaction and portability of microfiche for document delivery. But Dr. Fabian puts the case for short reprint editions of works in special demand. He also commends, as a measure for collection development and preservation, the public subsidy 119

of the editorial costs of complete editions of the works of minor authors, assembled from various libraries and to be issued commercially.

8. PRESERVATION MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION RESOURCES

8.1 In the two libraries visited in this study, interesting points were made about preservation management. The Deutsche Bibliothek has from its postwar inception accessioned newspapers received by legal deposit only in microfilm, prepared at its own expense. The procedure at the Bavarian State Library is highly selective, displaying the necessary realism of a library management responsible for maintaining vast historic collections with conservation and preservation facilities which are quite inadequate, although much the largest and most sophisticated workshops in the country. The staff in the rare books reading room refer items perceived to be in damaged or fragile condition to the conservation institute in the Library, which boxes and labels the item on the first occasion. Any further use is recorded and after 3 uses the item is microfilmed and withdrawn from normal use, a microfiche being substituted. At one time 3 uses in 5 years triggered microfilming, owing to shortages this is now 3 uses in 6 months. Decisions to conserve the items áre taken even more selectively. The view of the Library is that there is no point in surveying the collections, as a damaged book in the stacks will come to no further harm if unused. In any case, staff resources are so reduced that shelf maintenance is now confined to first aid repairs, cleaning and leather dressing having been abandoned.

8.2 Very few other libraries have sizeable conservation facilities, Munich, Göttingen and Wolfenbüttel being the exceptions. The Stiftung Volkswagenwerk had a programme to fund the establishment of conservation workshops in 14 research (mainly university) libraries. Some of these will be expected to be able to take in work from the region.The workshops will specialise in the treatment of manuscripts and early prints. There is not much data on conservation expenditure: university libraries in 1983 spent clO% (DM 13M) of their acquisition money on binding, but most of this would probably go on current binding. It has to be remembered that most university libraries are of recent foundation. There are a number of private restorers in Germany, the Bavarian State Library maintains a recommended list for the benefit of the region, but most libraries in the country cannot afford to put work out. 120

In Baden Württemberg the Kultur Stiftung will fund the establishment of a central conservation workshop at Landburg to serve the region.

9. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

9.1 Systematic education and training for conservation technicians is in its infancy, most practitioners having learned on the job. Even less so is there any systematic preparation for graduate level conservators and preservation managers. In Bavaria, a school for restorers is enacted, and will be set up in 1987 with the intention of starting operations in 1988. The practical work will be undertaken at the Institut für Buch- und Handschriftenrestaurieren, Bavarian State Library. At a later stage a laboratory will be set up for staff use, and this may eventually form the base for education of graduate level conservators. Dr. Bansa offered a personal opinion that conservation and preservation facilities in the largest institutions should be headed by persons doubly qualified as scientific conservators and librarians. The proposed conservation workshop at Baden Württemberg may in due course train bench conservators for employment in other libraries of the region.

9.2 Whether conservation and preservation is included in the curricula of the two levels of library school education seems to depend on the availability of qualified lecturers. At Munich, Dr. Bansa of the State Library lectures both to the (graduate) Bibliothekschule and the intermediate Fachhochschule. He has also been invited to lecture at the Hamburg school. The Verein Deutscher Bibliothekare have issued a statement on future needs in education for librarians working in academic and research libraries, which makes some mention of preservation.

9.3 Taking awareness campaigns under this heading, it is to be noted that the response of the DFG working group to the Fabian report stresses the need to inform and persuade the profession, governors of libraries, users and the public of the threat. They suggest that the Deutsche Bibliotheksinstitut should assemble and disseminate information on the subject.

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10. PERMANENT PAPER

10.1 An interesting contrast of view was encountered about the feasibility of persuading publishers to use acid free paper at least in books intended to be of lasting value and likely to be purchased by libraries. Pessimistic opinions were given at the DFG and the Deutsche Bibliothek; an optimistic one at the Bavarian State Library.

10.2 The DFG has a publishing committee and insists on the use of permanent paper when it subsidises small edition scholarly works. However, publishers state that it will be quite uneconomic to issue commercial publications on such paper. The Deutsche Bibliothek owes its inception to the publishers, who dominate the main board and hold 50:50 places on the advisory board with librarians. The main board strongly turned down a proposal that the trade should be encouraged to use permanent paper on the ground that it was quite uneconomic- unless librarians were prepared to pay extra. It seems likely that the proposal had been to have a special library edition as well as the commercial edition, which would indeed be uneconomic, but the main factor seems to have been ignorance.

10.3 Dr. Bansa in Munich, on the other hand has had considerable success in a ten year long campaign to persuade the paper manufacturers and the publishers of serious books to use permanent paper. His most important discovery was that the major paper manufacturer, Nordland Papier Gesellschaft, had used an alkaline manufacturing process since its inception 30 years ago. Made aware of the possible commercial advantages of this fact, the Company had published a brochure extolling permanent paper. The German standards organisation and the manufacturers were keen to have a DIN standard for acid free paper which should comer within 2-3 years. The conservation institute at the Bavarian State Library offered its facilities to the trade for testing and worked with the Paper Technische Institut, also in Munich, which is supported by the paper trade.

10.4 The publishers K. G. Saur had for about ten years issued all their large reference works on permanent paper; most other publishers were in favour, a few were opposed to the idea.

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11. DEACIDIFICATION: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

11.1 There are two interests in deacidification of book paper, the Bavarian State Library in older books and the Deutsche Bibliothek in recent books. The Deutsche Bibliothek are considering having a nitrogen atmosphere in the new underground bookstore to be opened in 1993. There would be an automated retrieval system, as it would not be practicable to expect staff to operate in oxygen masks! The federal ministry responsible for construction will fund a scientific and operational investigation of this proposal, which is seen as an alternative to a mass deacidification plant. 11.2 It is not coincidental, therefore, that a parallel investigation is intended, funded by the federal ministry for research, into the practicalities and economics of the available mass deacidification systems, discussed earlier in the present study report. Commenting on the latter proposal, one expert informant was of the opinion that only the Wei T'o system was working (at the National Library of Canada and soon at Sablé, France) and thus it would be wise to wait.

11.3 There is no application of optical technology to library and information purposes; except that the Deutsche Bibliothek hold some commercial videodisks, obtained by legal deposit; whilst the DFG are financing CD ROM versions of the catalogues of Bielefeld and Düsseldorf universities, to be ready in 1988. The latter library will use Siemens equipment, presumably only for playback.

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BELGIUM

1. GENERAL

The following information is derived from interviews with the Conservateur (National Librarian) and staffai the Bibliothèque Royale Albert 1er ( B R ) .

1.1 One has first to understand the administrative position of libraries in Belgium, which are separately funded by French and Flemish ministries of education. The B R is jointly funded by both ministries, which have to agree the annual budget mutually. The staff of the B R is divided according to language, with separate terms and conditions of service. University libraries are divided into four types: French or Dutch, Catholic or Free thinking. The general economic position of state research and academic libraries is unfortunate, having declined greatly since 1979. In that period, e.g., the B R staff numbers have fallen from c.500 to less than 250 full-time, plus c.100 part-time staff on job creation schemes. The B R has done badly compared with the libraries of universities, which latter have grown in number from 4-16 in the last 20 years.

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2. PLANNING AND COORDINATION

There has been no survey of conservation needs and there is no planning or coordination. In the opinion of the National Librarian, there is a national conservation problem for books, caused mainly by photocopying. Apart from that, the university libraries generally did not have a problem, because so many of them were new.

3. BIBLIOTHÈQUE ROYALE ALBERT 1er

It was reported that there are no binding funds for periodicals, leading to the loss of issues. The binding of manuscripts is also a problem. Microfilming of newspapers is required to prevent overuse. Photocopying has been responsible for much damage to books. There is a small section of specialist binders for incunables and mss., also a workshop for engravings, which is large and wellequipped, sufficient to accomodate 10 staff. But at present only one person is employed, for six days per month, on semi-skilled work. The building dates from 1969 and provides very good storage conditions, with controlled temperature and humidity.

4. COOPERATIVE REPRODUCTION

In about 1970 the Fond N.R.S. started to fund a now discontinued microfilming programme to copy all Belgian mss. contained in the BR and the Austrian National Library. Another scheme, for filming newspapers, had been discontinued many years ago after filming Le Soir. The BR retains the master negatives material filmed to order from its collections.

5. EDUCATION AND TRAINING There are no facilities for educating conservators in Belgium; those at the BR have been trained in house.

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DENMARK

These notes are based on replies to the questionnaire by the Office of the National Librarian and the Director of the Royal Library.

1. SURVEYS

In the Spring of 1969, a conservation commission under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs published its report BET&NKING 525. This mainly related to the manpower and training needs for conservation in libraries, archives, museums and art galleries. (See below). Preliminary surveys of collections, based on different surveying principles, have been made in the Royal Library:- classified surveys were made in the manuscript collection of the Oriental Department and the Collection of Incunabula. It is understood that a questionnaire has been issued to other libraries by the National Librarian.

2. COOPERATIVE MICROFILMING PROGRAMMES

There is a cooperative project between the Royal Library and the Statsbiblioteket (The State and University Library, Aarhus) for microfilming of newspapers. Since 1976, all Danish newspapers have been filmed currently and retrospective filming is under study. There is no online register of titles filmed. 126

3. OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY

The Micrographic Committee of the Danish Standardization Organization are studying the possibilities of optical technology.

4. MASS DEACIDIFICATION

Mass treatment procedures have not yet been introduced at the Royal Library. However, they have carried out extensive experiments on paper strengthening.

5. PERMANENT PAPER

No work appears to have been done in advocating the use of permanent paper in books. Draft specifications have been produced for SWE-TEST (The Swedish State Instititute of Materials Testing) towards a Nordic standard for papers to be used in connection with the storage of photographic archives.

6. CONSERVATION RESOURCES AND TRAINING

Following the report BETMNKING 525 (see above) the State Conservation School was established in 1973 as part of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The school supplies library conservators among others. The report had estimated the library demand at 23 positions after the first ten years (first phase) and 40 positions after the second phase.

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IRELAND

1. GENERAL

This report overlaps with the account of the United Kingdom situation, because libraries in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK) have agreed to cooperate in conservation and preservation, on the precedent of cooperation in interlibrary lending and other topics. Moves towards a preservation policy in Ireland stem from professional librarians, in this instance a working group of the Committee on Library Cooperation in Ireland. Initial efforts concentrate on awareness, the dissemination of elementary techniques and disaster prevention and control planning. It is likely that planning would be coordinated with that in the UK.

2. TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

This is the major research library on the island and continues to receive legal deposit privileges from UK publishers. It belongs to the Copyright Receipt Agency, an association of the 5 copyright libraries in UK which have to claim material from publishers, unlike the British Library where deposit is compulsory. TCD is the Irish library with the best conservation facilities. A survey of the manuscripts collection is under way. Early printed books are being refurbished, including boxing and enveloping in acid-free containers where appropriate, and at the same time surveyed as to condition. 128

3. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND

Some microfilming of newspapers is taking place.

4. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The Irish Professional Conservators and Restorers Association is planning a training course which will cover all library and archival materials. Trinity College Library offers limited practical training.

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LUXEMBOURG

These notes are based on a reply to the questionnaire by the Director of the Bibliothèque Nationale, Luxembourg.

1. PLANNING AND COORDINATION First meetings have taken place to start a national preservation programme.

2. COOPERATIVE MICROFILMING The National Library has surveyed the state of the most widely used newspapers. The State Archives are organising the microfilming of national newspapers. The National Library has copies of some of the films; also the National Library has a budget of Frs. 250,000 for microfilming by outside contractors, during 1987. There are no internal microfilming facilities.

3. CONSERVATION Each year a few precious volumes from the National Library are restored at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. 130

THE NETHERLANDS

1. GENERAL

This report is based on a response from the Koninlijke Bibliotheek (KB), also upon visits paid by Messrs. A. Wysocki and A. L. van Wesemael, on behalf of IFLA/ICA, in 1986. The three libraries visited were the KB, the Hague, and Amsterdam and Leiden university libraries. All were housed in modern buildings with air conditioning. The KB is particularly well-equipped as to the environment.

2. PLANNING AND COORDINATION

The KB has recently set up an Initiative Group on Mass-preservation of Library Materials. In 1986 the ministry of WVC (Welfare Health and Culture) set up a committee for the coordination of activities comncerning the preservation of cultural objects, on which archives and museums are represented and which is involved in the TNO project mentioned below. Efforts in preservation are hampered by the fact that archives and libraries are under separate ministries; also by a threatening cut-back in staffing of the Central Research Laboratory for Objects of Art and Science. 131

3. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Some applied research is carried out at the KB and the State Archives, but there is no systematic research. The Dutch TNO organisation has a national project into the effects of air pollution on cultural objects containing cellulose materials. The mss. department at the KB is participating in an optical disc project on miniatures in medieval mss.

4. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Conservation training facilities are offered by the Opleiding Restauratoren in Amsterdam. The programme is not specifically aimed at book and paper conservation.

5. CONSERVATION FACILITIES

The K B has a photographic department, a bindery and a conservation workshop, with has a staff of 7 conservators and a chemist. The Wächter (Vienna) method of mass deacidification of newspapers is under consideration. The universities generally do not have any conservation facilities and put out binding to contractors.

6. MICROFILMING

The K B has microfilmed some of its newspapers, microfilm duplicates being offered at cost price. 132

7. PERMANENT PAPER

Standards for long-life paper have been proposed by the Werkgroep Archiefrestauratie (working group on conservation of archival materials). Steps are being undertaken to give these standards official status.

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PORTUGAL

1. GENERAL

This brief report is based upon an account of the visit paid to some libraries and archives in Portugal by M. J-M Arnoult, 13-17 October, 1986 on behalf of IFLA/ICA; also on questionnaire response from the National Library and a conversation between the consultant and the Deputy National Librarian at I F L A 1986. The latter estimated that roughly one third of older books in the country required some form of conservation. The responsible body is the Portuguese Institute for the Cultural-Patrimony (IPPC). There is no conservation policy and no coordination. All of the institutions visited by M. Arnoult were housed in historic buildings, which with a single exception presented problems of environment. Conservation and microfilming facilities are scanty; a number of important collections are in need of attention.

2. NATIONAL LIBRARY

There are problems about the building, and a lack of funds, which results in such measures as switching off the air-conditioning at weekends. But there is 134

administrative concern in the Library to form a policy, which will include the training, inhouse and by foreign attachments, of conservation personnel; also all newspapers from the 19th century onwards are being fully microfilmed, by a team of 4 persons with 2 cameras. Microfilming is to international standards. There is a bindery employing 15 persons (6 physically-handicapped), they are unqualified and generally unequipped to carry out work at conservation level.

3. OTHER LIBRARIES

At the other libraries visited by the IFLA consultant, Ajuda had part-use of a microfilm camera and a conservation staff of 2 qualified persons; and the municipal library at Evora had one binder/conservator.

4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Instituto de Jose de Figuerido is being set up as a combined laboratory facility to help and advise on the whole of the cultural patrimony. It will contain one workshop for the restoration of graphic documents, with a staff of 6 persons. The personnel specialise in the restoration of paper, parchment and bindings. They undergo a 5-year apprenticeship.

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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. General Until the last decade, anyone concerned about the preservation of the cultural heritage as embodied in libraries and archives; anyone taking the trouble to read the scientific evidence on the insidious threat to the survival of virtually all publications between the mid-19th century and cl950, due to acidity of paper, must have been deeply depressed by the apparent ignorance of, or, indifference to the problem displayed in all European countries. Latterly, consciousness at the international level has been raised by the Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL); followed by the interest of Unesco and the launching in 1986 of a new IFLA Core Program on Preservation at a conference organised by CDNL in Vienna, April 1986.

2. Enquiries National enquiries have been held in France (Desgardes 1982),the United Kingdom (Ratcliffe 1983 and Stam 1983), and West Germany (Fabian 1983). Unesco sponsored an IFLA/ICA enquiry with a world-wide remit (1986) and the Commission set up the present Study for the EEC (1986/87). There is a striking similarity between the findings of all these enquiries; also there is considerable agreement on what action should be taken. Differences of approach are explained by the structure and organisation of each library system, the historic distribution of collections of old and rare books and special materials, and the present state of development of library conservation and preservation facilities. European surveys have emphasised conservation of older collections, in contrast to American priority on brittle paper in 19-20c publications. Newspapers are the one type of publication being commonly treated as an urgent problem of the latter kind in Europe. 136

3. Conclusions of earlier enquiries Although not all the enquiries mention all of the following topics in their conclusions, none would contradict them. They may be summarised as follows: • an enormous scale of damage and insidious decay due to a combination of neglect, inherent acidity, poor environments, natural and man-made disasters, lack of bibliographical control, and overuse • three categories: damaged older books and materials, brittle modern paper, and the short life of non-book materials • preservation and access are linked, not conflicting priorities • general inertia or indifference • totally inadequate resources of personnel and funding • low status, qualifications and numbers of conservation staff • lack of preservation teaching in librarianship education • lack of statistical information and records, lack of national policy, structure and organisation for preservation • no standards for 'permanent paper' nor any agreement with publishers to use it • a realistic policy must be highly selective • the brittle book problem demands mass treatment: mass deacidification and/or creation of surrogates • microfilming is the only proven archival surrogate storage medium now, but the costs are high and to be cost/effective should be shared on the widest scale • optical technology has great potential as a medium for preservation and access in the future, has limited value now, but should be kept under review. 4 The overview provided by this Study has served to confirm these earlier conclusions. What may be added is the observation that some hopeful change of attitude and positive action is already taking place, e.g., in France, the UK and West Germany; particularly in national and other major research libraries, which, of course, have the most obvious problems. Preservation and conservation, (meaning the safeguarding of the original artefact), are not a separate aspect of library policy. The subject interrelates with access in the most profound sense. Access, to quote Dr. D.H.Stam, is the raison d'être of preservation. West Germany provides the most graphic illustration of this fact. Just as conservationists must accept the priorities of utility and service, so policy makers must accept that the careful maintenance and judicious preservation of library collections is a component of good library management. It is not only in homage to the past that one must conserve older books. Their use is increasing everywhere and must be controlled to meet the needs of present and future readers. More technically, preservation depends on the development of bibliographi137

cal control: automation, conversion of older catalogue records, combination, publication of guidebooks and directories, and location lists and registers. Collection development is also linked to preservation planning, both to exploit the reproductive value of microforms, and to help in determining priorities for treatment. The concern being shown by professional associations and individual leaders, is illustrated by the topicality of preservation as a 'theme of the moment' in professional activities. But it contrasts strangely with the lack of real evidence of change in priorities and budgets towards overcoming the inadequacy of conservation and preservation expenditure. Clearly, awareness raising is the most urgent requirement.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A Having in mind the international, regional, national, and local dimensions of preservation responsibility, and the present emerging state of organisation to confront the problem, which has political, scholarly and professional factors, The Commission are RECOMMENDED TO: 1. Act in cooperation with the Unesco/IFLA/IC A initiatives, perhaps working with the IFLA Regional Centre for Western Europe at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Sablé. 2. Promote bi-national and multinational cooperation between EC Member States on a pragmatic basis. 3. Facilitate cooperation with the USA, e.g., in linking with their National Register of Master Microforms, in R and D, etc. 4. Enable conservators from countries in the Developing World to gain experience in EC conservation workshops and training schools. Β Whilst recognising that each country must take prime responsibility for the preservation of its literary heritage, there are unique foreign language holdings in each country. Therefore, The Commission are RECOMMENDED to:5. Support collection surveys, and the preparation of handbooks and directories to research collections; preferably in machine readable form. 6. Assist in the establishment of administrative structures for advice, research and coordination of programmes. 138

7. Support international censuses of holdings of early books, e.g., the Incunabula Short Title Catalogue (ISTC). 8. Subsidise where appropriate the commercial publication in hard copy or microform of the texts of older books contained in many libraries, e.g., by paying editorial costs. C Awareness and consciousness raising is still the most urgent measure to be taken. Policy makers, the media, scholars and the general public, as well as the librarians, remain to be convinced that greater resources should be devoted to preservation. There is nothing national about the technical and practical causes of the problem. Therefore, The Commission are RECOMMENDED to: 9. Promote the preservation issue at the highest level, through declarations, approaches to the Council of Ministers and to the appropriate ministries in Member States. 10. Support communications between library policy makers and experts, eg, seminars, conferences, publicity and publications. D As a further measure to raise awareness, and to strengthen professional and technical resources, The Commission are RECOMMENDED to: 11. Carry out A FURTHER STUDY, on a comparative basis, of the education, training, qualifications and status of scientific conservators, bench conservators and craft binders in Member States, together with the market for their services, both in public and private sectors. 12. Carry out A FURTHER STUDY of the curricular content on preservation in the education of librarians, also opportunities for post-experience courses; and ascertain the views of the profession on the need for such training. E The decay of recent publications through inherent and atmosphereinduced acid attack is a problem of overwhelming scale in American research libraries, and is slowly beginning to become obvious in European libraries. Only mass processes at low unit cost can be contemplated to combat the problem. Therefore, The Commission are RECOMMENDED to: 13. Promote cooperative microfilming programmes at national and international levels, starting with newspapers and early books, for both of which models exist. Measures could include help with administrative costs, training and mobile filming units. 14. Carry out A FURTHER STUDY AND PILOT PROJECT on the setting up of national registers of master microforms in automated form and their interlinking to form an EEC Register, which could in turn be linked to the USA and other countries. This need was suggested unanimously by those 139

interviewed during the study and it was a main recommendation of the Vienna Conference on Preservation, April, 1986. 15. Arrange for discussions between publishers, scholars and librarians with a view to obtaining mutually satisfactory guidelines by which microform surrogates may be made of copyright works for preservation purposes. 16. Arrange for discussions between librarians, publishers and paper manufacturers, to promote the introduction of permanent paper in significant publications. 17. Study the need for national and international standards for permanent paper on the basis of the American ANSI standard and promote such a standard as appropriate. 18. Keep under review the study of mass deacidification systems to be undertaken by the BMFT in West Germany, and consider further action, perhaps by subsidising demonstration projects. Mass deacidification without the need to rebind books is potentially the least costly process to meet the problem, although microform has the superior advantage of reproduction. 19. Sponsor a pilot project in the application of optical technology for preservation purposes, although also serving access, eg, the use of videodiscs to make available rare and fragile graphic items; or, CD audio surrogates of rare sound recordings. Keep under review the use of digital optical discs for preservation. In general, the Commission are R E C O M M E N D E D to: 20. Consider the feasibility of regional conservation treatment centres, on the model of those in the USA. 21. Promote cooperation in research between national centres. 22. Carry out A F U R T H E R S T U D Y on preservation of non-book materials. 23. Encourage Member States to prepare disaster control plans for libraries and archives, on the lines of that published by the National Library of Scotland.

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REFERENCES

NOTE: References to 'Vienna . . .'are papers given at: Vienna. Preservation of library materials; conference sponsored by the Conference of Directors of National Libraries with the cooperation of IFLA and Unesco, April, 1986. 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Stam, D. H. International programmes in preservation. Harrogate, LA Annual Conference, Sept. 1986. Wilson, A. Moving towards planned deterioration. In Festschrift for Lord Dainton. British Library, to be published March, 1987. Information Systems Consultants Inc. Videodiscs and optical digital disk technologies and their applications in libraries. Council on Library Resources, 1985. Hendley, Tony. The archival storage potential of microfilm magnetic media and optical data discs. (BNB Research Fund Report no. 10). National Reprographic Centre for Documentation, 1983. Miller, D.C. The new optical media: a status report and The new optical media in the library and the academy tomorrow. DCM Associates, 1986. Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC. Report of the libraries optical disk working group, April 1986. Saur, K.G. Vienna 17. McCoy, R. Vienna 12. Bossuat, M.L. Vienna 11. Welsh, W. Vienna 22. US National Archives. Report of a committee. Hendricks, K. Vienna 15 and Heckmann, H. Vienna 34. Banks, P. N. Preservation of library materials. Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, v.23,180. 1978. Kekskemeti, C. Vienna 28. Dureau, J-M. IFLA France and the USA. J.Lib.l7(2) April 1985, 75-85. 141

16 Feather, J. Curriculum for the teaching of conservation. LAR,88 (10), Oct. 1986, 499 and 501. 17 Le patrimoine des bibliothèques; report of a commission, Président Louis Desgraves. Paris. Min. de la Culture, 1982. 2 vols. 18 Rome. Instituto Centrale per la Patologia del Libro. The conservation of documents in archives and libraries: intensive European course, April, 1980. (English language version published as PACT 2, Council of Europe study group). 19 Ratcliffe, F. W. Preservation policies and conservation in British libraries. LIR Report 25). British Library, 1986. 20 Anderson, H. Planning manual for disaster control in Scottish libraries and record offices. National Library of Scotland, 1985. 21 Jenkin, I. T. Disaster planning and preparedness. (BL Information Guide 5). British Library, 1986-87. 2 vols. 22 Ranson, M. C. Discard and conservation practices in Wales. Welsh Office, 1985. (Unpublished). 23 Alston, R. C. Bibliography, machine-readable cataloguing and the ESTC. British Library, 1978. 24 Wells, R. NEWSPLAN: report of the pilot project in the south-west. (LIR Report 38). British Library, 1986. 25 Forde, G. In Procs. of BL National Advisory Committee on Preservation First Annual Seminar, Loughborough University, July, 1986. (to be published) 26 Bradley, G. Study on the use of acid-free paper in the UK for books and journals. BNB Research Fund Committee, [1984?]. unpubl. 27 Trevitt, J. Towards books that last. The Bookseller, Nov. 14,1986,1963-65. 28 Fabian, B. Buch, Bibliothek und geisteswissenschaftliche Forschung. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1983. 29 Probleme der Literaturversorgung in den Geisteswissenschaften. ZIBB, 33,(1986) 2, 92-99. 30 Gattermann, G. Barriers to the availability of research literature: conflicts between resource sharing and preservation in the Federal Republic of Germany. IFLA, Chicago, 1985. 31 Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut. Empfehlungen zur microfiche-Herstellung von Bibliotheksständen. [1986?] 32 Stiftung Volkswagenwerk. Programm zur Erprobung von Microfiches an wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken, aus: Bibliotheksdienst, 20, 1986, 5, 480481. 33 Schibel, W. Zur Erschliessung u. Bereitstellung älterer Bücher. Bibliotheksdienst, 19,1985, 368-382. 34 Stam, D . H . National preservation planning in the UK: an American perspective. (BL R and D Dept. Report no. 5759), March, 1983. 35 Haas, W. J. President of the Council on Library Resources. At the Vienna Conference, 1986. 142

Preservation microfilming and microform publications. Some bibliographical references.

Trade catalogues: Guide to microforms in print. Books in demand. UMI. Annual. Serials in microform. UMI. Annual.

Cooperative lists: Online catalogues of OCLC and RLIN contain microform information. RLG preservation union list. Microfiche. Irregular. ACRPP. Catalogue des microfilms reproduisant des priodiques. Irregular. National and other library publications: Library of Congress. National register of microfilm masters 1965-1983. Continued separately since 1984 in the National Union Catalog, for monographs, and in New Serial Titles, for periodicals. and Newspapers in microform, 1948. Supplement, 1948-83,1984. To be superseded by NUC Newspapers, which will include records of the US Newspaper Project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and mounted online on OCLC. 143

Bibliothèque Nationale. Catalogue des microformes effectues par la Bibliothèque Nationale. and Catalogue d'imprimés canadiens pre 1901. British Library. Register of microform masters. In progress, 1985-. To be available online and in microfiche. Currently issued in hard copy. and Microfilms of newspapers and journals for sale, 1985-86. Annual. New York Public Library. Register of microform masters: monographs, 1983.

Manuals on preservation microfilming: ALA Preservation microfilming manual. Forthcoming, 1987. ARL Preservation planning program: an assisted self-study manual for libraries, 1982. Library of Congress. Specifications for LC microfilming. Constantly updated. General: Vienna. Conference on preservation and conservation, April, 1986. Forthcoming, 1987.

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