One of the biggest problems that the Indian Library faces is that of brittle paper, insect bites. The mid -1850's saw the introduction of wood fibre papers providing a cheap alternative to rag and linen. Due to acidity many wood fibre papers become weak and friable in a relatively short period of time and require considerable conservation treatment.
Processes All materials which are used in treatment are archivally sound and all treatment which is undertaken must not preclude future treatments when necessary. When an item requires full conservation it will involve many of the following processes:
Examination - Upon receipt, the book is examined, so that the conservator has a full understanding of its condition and the treatments that will be required. A conservation report will be started including, if necessary, photographic evidence containing details of the original binding and gold tooling. Collation - The order of the pages is verified, details of plates are recorded, and any missing pages are noted.
Surface Cleaning - This involves the careful removal of any surface dirt and dust, using a 'smoke' sponge and soft eraser. Pulling - The book may need to be disbound into sections/single leaves.
pH testing - This determines the amount of acid in the paper. If the reading is below 5.5, the paper may have to be washed or deacidified. Washing - Washing is carried out by immersing the pages in a bath of warm water. This washes out many impurities within the paper, and makes it more receptive to aqueous deacidification treatments. Deacidification - This process neutralises the acid and raises the pH leaving an alkaline reserve within the paper for future protection. The Library uses two main methods of deacidification, aqueous - where the pages can either be brushed or immersed in a solution of magnesium bi-carbonate then dried, and non-aqueous- where the pages are sprayed with a solution of Ethyl Magnesium Ethoxy Carbonate, using nitrogen gas as a propellant. This deposits particles of magnesium carbonate onto the surface of the paper, which helps neutralise the acid. (This solution is environmentally friendly in as much as it does not contain any CFC's).
Repair - The item is then repaired if necessary, using inorganic tissues and handmade papers with wheat starch paste. Sewing - The repaired sections are then sewn on either tapes, flat hemp, cords or thongs, depending on the original format or binding style.
Binding - Books can be bound in a variety of covers - goat, pig or leather, vellum, cloth or paper. Many books can be bound re-using their original boards and spine and if a binding structure is particularly important and/or fragile, the item will have a purpose made box made for it.
Gold Finishing - Once bound, the books are finished, using gold leaf, hand letters and decorative tools if required.
Treatment All conservation treatments aim to be reversible. This means that traditional materials are used as far possible and the materials are of archival quality and sympathetic with the original document. It is important that historical evidence is not destroyed or obscured and as much of the original is retained as possible. If a book comes into conservation and has its original or historical binding then a minimum intervention technique will be carried out, which means the damaged parts of the binding will be stabilised and consolidated with as little interventive conservation as possible.
The book will be bound using as much of the original material as possible, as the binding can give historical evidence on the social history of the book, its date, provenance and history of ownership. If, for whatever reason, the book has been bound in an inappropriate style (which can cause damage to the text block and restrict the opening of the pages) and no evidence of the original binding exists, then in collaboration with the curator of the collection a 'Conservation Binding' will be undertaken. This means the book will be bound structurally in keeping with its date and provenance. We do not undertake restoration (the recreation of original decoration or tooling) as this would be purely for aesthetic reasons. It is important when conserving material to be aware of the cultural and religious significance of each item in selecting the style of binding and type of materials used.
Flat materials Flat materials that are conserved include broadly: written documents - manuscripts, printed items and maps pictorial items - watercolours, prints and drawings, photographs, oils and acrylics
the items are on paper, , palm-leaf, bark, textiles and thin metal. Quite often the conservation involves removal/re-working of earlier, more than likely 20th century repairs, either because inappropriate repair materials were used, or the item has had high reader usage and became worn and damaged.
As with conserving any other material in the Library collection, an initial discussion takes place between the staff responsible as to how best to repair and store the item. Some items are frequently used for exhibition and loan purposes and/or seen by many readers; delicate repairs may not, on their own, withstand much handling. For this reason some items are more robustly repaired than others (such as large maps). With items such as illuminated manuscripts, fragile paper fragments and scrolls, once repaired, a way to protect them must be considered without unnecessarily covering the text or other details, to make protective cases or covers so that they can be used, possibly for future display. Processes
Removal - Removal of old backings may involve the use of equipment that produces a controllable stream of fine, pencil-jet steam or gradual dampening of the back using blotting paper and Gore-Tex cloth (Gore-Tex slowly and gently introduces moisture evenly onto the flat object underneath it) or the use of distilled water and brush. Magnifying lens and sometimes microscopes are used during this process to ensure as much adhesive is removed whilst disturbing the original surface as little as possible.
Pressure-sensitive repair tapes such as Sellotape are removed using particular solvents. This kind of work is done under a fume hood so as not to inhale the toxic fumes.
Repair Various types of tissues and paper are used extensivel