The Preservation of Newspapers.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1922, Page 4

The Preservation of Newspapers.

A Bulletin issued by the American Paper and Pulp Association state's:— How to so pickle newspapers that they can be preserved indefinitely in tho public libraries is a problem which has apparently been (solved.' Eight years of experimenting, participated in by three big New Vork newspapers at a cost of 5000 dollars a year each, under the supervision of the New Vork Public Library has taught librarians how to preserve for posterity newspaper files. Tile solution seems simple, being the mounting of each newspaper sheet between two sheets ol thin Japanese tissue shutting the air from the original sheet reducing its legibility but slightly and strengthening the page. When newspapers were printed on rag stock they were tough and durable, but with the broader circulation of newspapers and tho introduction of wood pulp. the paper became brittle upon exposure. Bound volumes of the mounted pages are now in constant daily use. and are free from the wear and tear which destroyed the untreated newspapers.

The New York experiments have been so successful that a big Chicago newspaper has sent representatives to New York to study and adopt the practice for use there. Tlie first investigation was made in Boston, and the library there tried to persuade the newspapers to print library editions on an extra paper, and was tried by a Brooklyn paper, bin the cost was prohibitive. Tn the Now A'ork experiments silk was first used, but the Japanese tissue was found the best for the purpose as it hermetically sealed newspaper pages from the air. Shellacs. varnishes and other substances were tried, with little success. I inter the method now in use the operator wets a glass or steel-covered table, lays down a sheet of tissue with the pasting machine: rice paste is put on. then in turn the' newspaper page, paste and tissue, when the page is dried and pressed under a gas-heated mangle.