Annual pH Survey
Since its inception in 1986, the Preservation Planning Office has been conducting an annual survey of the use rate of acid-free paper in monographs printed in Japan during the previous year. As the only depository library in Japan, the NDL is obligated to collect a wide range of domestic publications and to preserve the materials in its collection for use as cultural heritage. The survey is carried out on presentation copies of monographs published in Japan with the aims of ascertaining the state of acid-free paper use for all Japanese publications and implementing effective preservation measures for the materials in its collections.
The results of the survey are reported in the NDL Monthly Bulletin. Concurrently with this report, the NDL makes appeals to the publishing and paper-making industries and the library world to cooperate in the use of acid-free or permanent paper that is more amenable to preservation in order to pass down our valuable cultural heritage to future generations.
Survey results on the rate of acid-free paper use in Japan are shown in the graph. Since 1992, the use rate for commercial publications (monographs) has held steady at around 80 percent. For government publications at the national or local level, the use rate continues to rise and now exceeds 80 percent.
Reference:
Yasue, Akio, "pH Surveys of Current Publications in Japan," Conservation Administration News, no. 50, 1-2; 29 (July 1992).
McCrady, Ellen, "The pH of New Library Books, 1976-1993: A Compilation
of Survey Results," Abbey Newsletter, vol. 21, no. 1 (May 1997).
Murayama, Takao, "Sixteen Years of pH Surveys on Newly-acquired Materials", International Preservation News, No.28, (December 2002). <http://www.ifla.org/VI/4/ipn.html>