Volume 2, Number 1
Apr 1989

NCLIS Supports Pell Resolution

The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science was founded in 1970 by an act of Congress to advise the President and the Congress m the status and needs of U.S. libraries and information services. It has always given more attention to information disseminating program than to preservation, but at its January 27, 1989 meeting it passed the following "Resolution on Permanent Paper":

Whereas, the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science is mandated by PL 91-345 to advise the President and Congress on issues and problem confronting the nation's libraries; and

Whereas, such an urgent issue now exists, to wit: the imminent loss of a significant portion of the world's intellectual and cultural record because of the accelerating deterioration of books and other documents (e.g., technical journals) printed on acid-based paper; and

Whereas, nearly 80 million books in North American research libraries alone are endangered, with most of the embrittlement caused by paper deterioration due to residual acids; and

Whereas, it will cost American libraries untold millions of dollars to preserve through various means even a fraction of the books and journals which are already brittle; and

Whereas, the opportunity exists to prevent such deterioration in the future at no additional cost by printing and publishing all materials of lasting value on alkaline paper, whose availability is rapidly increasing, whose costs are comparable to acidic paper, and to which approximately a quarter of the publishing industry has already converted to some extent; and

Whereas, such a transition would be facilitated by a revision of the policy of the federal government, which alone consumes 2.5% of the nation's printing and writing paper; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science endorse the use of permanent paper for all publications of enduring value, including its -own, and recommend that other agencies of the federal government (as well as private publishers) do the same, and be it further

Resolved, that the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science strongly urge the President and Congress promptly to establish a national policy on the of permanent paper, including, among its objectives, use of such paper in all future federal government Publications and documents of lasting significance; and be it further

Resolved, that the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science stand ready to assist in the implementation of this policy; and be it further

Resolved, that copies of this resolution be distributed to the President, the relevant committees of Congress, and other appropriate governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations.