Literature

"Book-Burning in Our Medical Libraries: Prevention or Palliation?" by Lois DeBakey. Amer. J. Cardiology 62: Sept. 1, 1988, P. 458-461. 25 refs. An eloquent argument for the use of permanent paper for medical literature; gives examples of scientific discoveries ignored or overlooked for varying periods, then rediscovered later, to show that not all scientific literature over three years old is irrelevant.

Permanent/Durable Book Paper: Summary of a Conference Held in Washington, DC, Sept. 16, 1960, Sponsored by the American Library Association and the Virginia State Library. Richmond: Virginia State Library, 1%0. 53 pp. This record of a conference held almost 30 years ago invites comparison with the TAPPI Paper Preservation Symposium in October 1988. Participants were from many of the some organizations: JCP, Glatfelter and eight or nine other paper companies, National Archives, several research libraries, USGPO, Hercules, New York Public Library, Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine, Institute of Paper Chemistry, and the Association of Research Libraries. Leonard B. Schlosser went to the 1960 meeting but not the 1988 one. There are a few other familiar names on the 1960 list: Verner W. Clapp, Phil Evanoff, James Gear, Robert Kingery, Frazer Poole, Dana Pratt.

"Trends in Second Generation AKD Sizing," by L. F. Watson. PIMA, Sept. 1988, p. 36-38. The new sizes have better retention and rate of cure. European mills using recycled fiber (and there are a lot of them) had to convert to alkaline out of self-defense.

"Preservation of Drawings from Plotters: Media and Ink Recommendations for Longevity and Archival Storage," by Alex Vasiliadis. Plan and Print, Vol. N61 No. 4, p. 42, 44-46, April 1988. The author is a product manager for the plotter supplies unit of CalComp Inc. (Mail Stop 9, 2411 W. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA 92803).

Forensic Examination of Ink and Paper, by Richard L. Brunelle and Robert W. Reed. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield Ill. [date not known]. Chapter 13 is on "Methods for the Forensic Examination of Paper."

"Use of Fillers in Papermaking," by William H. Griggs. Tappi Journal, April 1988, p. 77-81.

'The Big Problem of Brittle Books," Science, v. 240, April 29, 1988, p. 598-600. A not-outstanding summary of the problems of deacidification and use of alkaline paper.

"Retaining the Strength of Secondary Fibers with Alkaline Calcium Carbonate Fillers," by John C. Williams. Paper Trade Journal, Nov. 30, 1980, p. 33-34. Summary: "...Fiber from alkaline paper will recycle while maintaining its strength and pliability. Alkaline stock merits a premium price and will justify an increased collection effort. Wallboard made from such paper will be less brittle, and if it is also alkaline, will last for the life of the house, as well as its owner, instead of going brittle in five to 10 Years as it does now. We can also save a few trees in the process."

"Converting to Alkaline: U.S. Fine Paper and Board Mills Step up Pace," by Tom Wiley. Pulp & Paper Nov. 15, 1988 (Buyers Guide 1989), P. 43-48. Page 48-56 is a systematic list of chemicals and paper machine clothing for alkaline papermaking, and on p. 56 is a 16-item bibliography of Pulp & Paper articles on alkaline papermaking, 1980-88. A general overview.

H.C. Roth, whose article in the Sept.-Oct. 1987 Instant Printer was mentioned in the May issue of this Newsletter, published the identical article in the Dec. 1987 In-Plant Printer & Electronic Publisher. Two earlier versions of the same article were circulated under the title, "Neutral/ Alkaline Paper: What Every Printer Should Know." The author is warning small printers against alkaline paper, saying it causes trouble with the kinds of presses they use. There probably are some alkaline papers that cause trouble, at least on some printers (same with acid papers) sometimes, but there has apparently been no investigation by a qualified lab. He feels that all alkaline papers perform similarly.

He does have a point: as he says, the paper industry does not identify on the label or elsewhere whether paper is acidic, neutral or alkaline, so if printing problem are encountered, it becomes difficult to troubleshoot and find the real cause. In order to help small printers avoid alkaline paper, he promises to "research the paper industry to determine which mills are manufacturing the paper causing these problem.

There is an information vacuum here, in that no reliable source of information about real or imagined problem with alkaline paper is offering guidance. Anyone, whether qualified or not, is likely to step into the vacuum and gain a following. Mr. Roth is not very knowledgeable. He thinks acidic paper is all made from sulfite pulp, he thinks pulping and papermaking are the same operation, he calls neutral or alkali- paper "synthetic paper," and he offers a pH pen of his own that will identify alkaline paper. The pen he has, to judge by the colors it gives, is filled with bromcresol green, which changes color between pH 3.6 and 5.2! Thus it can only distinguish between very acidic and moderately acidic papers. He would be easy to refute--but who will step into that vacuum with real information, to keep Mr. Roth #2 from springing up after him?