A deacidification solution is needed

For more than five years I have spoken with many dedicated conservators and archivists. By and large, they believe that to effectively preserve the collections under their care, deacidification is an essential component. To be useful, the deacidification treatment chosen needs to be an priced within available or potentially available endowments. At the same time, because such a convenient, cost-effective process for deacidification does not exist, they believe there is no point in seeking funds to support serious programs that include the necessary deacidification of documents!

This paradigm can only be shifted by creating and implementing a high quality, cost-effective deacidification process/solution.

A integrated strategy

A tested, effective, prototype for the needed deacidification process for manuscript treatment exists and its commercialization will help inspire the necessary shift. Provenance, LLC, has created this process with the assistance of the USDA SBIR program. Allied developments—including the interface and integration of document treating/preservation with electronic and web-based library developments—can be counted on as well to inspire this shift. It is no secret that a significant component in preservation costs includes triage, unshelving, and reshelving of items. It also makes intrinsic sense that books whose content is being electronically preserved by scanning single pages can also be treated and preserved as part of a single process within a well-designed work flow. Likewise, consider how a well designed, value engineered deacidification step could be incorporated into bookbinding operations within library and archive operations, and budgeted accordingly. These are just a few thoughts about a more effective future for preservation. As you read this, alliances of major companies and research libraries are handling and digitizing the same volumes that need preservation treatment. There are doubtless many possibilities and variants to accomplish what is needed, and a bright future if the commitment is made to integrate all processes.

Joseph B. Zicherman, Ph.D.
Provenance LLC Founder & CEO

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