• Index of this issue

No. 68, July 2010

Holding over 1.5 million items, which are agedly, rarely, historical and culturally significant, the National Library of Vietnam (NLV) is the largest library in the country. Unfortunately, many of these items, due to a combination of time, past events and circumstances, are deteriorating. In the face of that fact, a long-term preservation and conservation plan has been carried out step by step at the NLV in order to conserve and preserve the Vietnam's invaluable written cultural heritage for as long as possible for future generation.

We should usually remember that prevention is better than cure. The management of the environment in which collection are stored, accessed and displayed is one of the surest, and easiest, preventive strategies that can be employed to ensure the longevity of a collection. Preventive preservation concerns to creating the right environment, right to the best of knowledge to prevent and maintain the items from the deterioration and damage caused by both external and internal causes. Environment condition is air-conditioned and controlled by the air-conditioners and desiccative machine in order that the impact of the external temperature is kept to a minimum as a means of ensuring a stable environment. All storages are installed the stationary temperature and humidity readers in the space: hydro-thermometers

• Over a period of days, the temperature values covered to following range:
  • Temperature: 18-23 degrees Celsius
  • Relative Humidity: 45-55% RH

The impact of the internal lighting is less. Lights remain off when the area is not being accessed. Furthermore, the lighting is operated in many different sections, allowing for only small parts of the space to be illuminated as necessary. Dust is one of many causes bringing about degradation reactions. A walk-through of the storage area reveals a recently updated storage facility with good quality compact's shelving. This shelving type preserve and protect items in order to avoid the bad effect factors such as light, dusts, insects… etc. Currently, NLV using sticky traps (in the form flat traps, rectangular box - traps or tent-shaped traps) – was sponsored by Mr. Akio Yasue – NLV's closely friend from National Diet Library to monitor silverfishes, booklice, termite, beetles…in the storages. We use common chemical treatments methods to control insects including: to put in a camphor layers papers in book (these are meant to discourage rather than kill insects), use chemical baits and pellets (which are eaten by the insects)…etc.

Remedial preservation can be also called the conservation treatment practices. The aim is to take the specific practices in order to slow deterioration and prolong the life of the item by directly intervening in its physical or chemical make-up. The selected damaged item to conserve will be brought from store to preservation treatment lab. Research group will prepare reports on condition, analyzing pH degree and media solubility in order to find out preservation treatment solutions for damaged items. The items and their condition and solution reports will be given to the conservation division. Here, depend on the item condition, this section will carry out following works: removal of adhesive tapes/staples, surface cleaning, stain reduction, de-acidification, leaf casting, tissue mounting and sizing, manual repair, hot/cold press. Finally, the items are rebounded and made protective enclosure. Reports on the condition and treatment solution will be completed and updated to preservation treatment database in computer to monitor and manage.

With all papers used for conservation and preservation purposes, where long-term retention is the aim, the materials must be acid-free and be ensured standard quality. Imported material is so expensive that is over the limited budget of NLV. Therefore looking and applying suitable local materials of appropriate quality exist is indispensable to conservation treatment. "Dó" which made from Liber fibers is Vietnamese traditional hand-made paper. It is stronger, with long fibers that "feather" with tearing, allowing for a strong yet more subtle connection with the original item. "Dó" paper is match with the weight of the item being repaired to ensure a more subtle and effective repair. Besides, the long fibers of traditional Vietnamese paper also make it suitable for pulping and subsequent use in leaf casting. Result of "Dó" paper research has indicated that its life-span is about nearly 100 years.

Appropriate and ready mixed chemical compound for the de-acidification processes to be undertaken by conservation staff will need to be purchased overseas. They usually are quite expensive. Applying chemical Ca(OH)2 (Calcium hydroxide) - traditionally called slaked lime in de-acidification processes is really very economical and effective. It is not a threat to health and safety. All papers which were de-acidified to become neutrality or alkaline buffer depend on an acidity of paper before treatment.

Above preservation activities presented might not be an initiative but they are being carried-out in NLV's preservation program. Although preservation work of NLV are still facing many difficulties in budget, human resource training, we are aware of its significance in modern library preservation and we always consider it as the priority task. This is only a beginning and preservation changes all the time, new approaches are being developed, regular research, sharing conservation, preservation knowledge and experience with other institutions in the country as well as seeking collaboration chances in the future with foreign institutions and organization should be encouraged. It is not only a meaning of preserving Vietnam's invaluable written cultural heritage for future but also the memory of the world forever.