HD22 - The Feasibility of Printing State Publications and Public Records on Alkaline Paper
Executive Summary: • Many paper-based historical documents are in danger because of rapid deterioration. The chemical instability of acidic paper has resulted in the brittleness and browning of an estimated 25% of the collections in major university and research libraries in the United States and Canada. Acidic paper becomes so brittle that pages break as they are handled. • Alkaline paper making is an established industrial process utilized for the manufacture of a variety of paper types, including products for commercial and industrial consumption. The alkaline paper making process is being increasingly adopted by the paper industry because of technological and economic incentives. Production of alkaline paper for writing and printing appears sufficient to accommodate increases in demand and the outlook for meeting future demand is favorable as more paper mills convert to alkaline paper production. • There are alkaline equivalents for all of the paper types and grades currently used for state publications and public records. Studies show that the cost of alkaline paper does not significantly exceed the cost of non-alkaline paper. While the Commonwealth of Virginia studies the feasibility of its use, alkaline paper is already being used under state contract, attesting to its price competitiveness. The use of alkaline paper will significantly reduce the problem of deterioration of documents and the threat of their being lost to the record of civilization forever. The use of alkaline paper will increase the longevity of important documents and records. • Since all public records and state publications do not have to be retained permanently, it is not necessary to produce all of them on alkaline permanent paper. Only those public records defined as archival under section 42.1-77 of the Code of Virginia and those state publications of enduring value need to be produced on alkaline permanent paper. |
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