Volume 1, Number 4
Oct 1988

Publishers

• In February 1988, two journals of the American Physiological Society started being published on acid-free paper: American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Applied Physiology This is in response to concern expressed by the National Library of Medicine, which has established a Task Force on Permanent Paper, on which the APS is represented. The announcement in which this news appeared ends by saying that "The reader should appreciate its greater smoothness of surface for better quality, greater opacity, and the clearer halftone reproduction." The printer is Waverly Press. The name of the paper is not given.
• The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery converted to use of alkaline paper in 1987. This is a major international publication.
• Forest Press, publisher of the Dewey Decimal Classification, announced in May that all its future book titles will be published on paper which meets the requirements of the American National Standards Institute for permanence of book paper. This was in response to the resolution passed by the American Library Association in January and published in the Abbey Newsletter's February issue. Although these books are not retained for a long time, because they are revised periodically, they must stand up to heavy use, which makes the standard important. It is a 3-volume set (3500-4000 pages or so) and the press run is 25,000.
• SciTech Book News, a periodical of short book reviews, tests 800 books a month for aridity. Fred Gullette, editor, has sent in some anecdotal data:

British publishers use much acidic paper.

Singapore (World Scientific Publishing Co.) ditto.

European printed books are much more likely to be acidic than those printed here.

A couple of books a month, say 1/2%., declare use of alkaline paper but test acid, < 6.0 with chlorophenol red.

• The Ignatius Press (2515 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94118) announces in its catalogs which books are on permanent paper. Joseph Fessio, SJ, is the editor.