No. 113, March 2000

Passing on Cultural Heritage:
Preservation of Original Texts and Microform

Ryuji Yonemura
Director, Preservation Planning Office 
National Diet Library (Japan) 

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Preservation of Original Texts
3. Preservation of Contents of Original Texts - Microforming
4. The PAC Regional Centre for Asia

Introduction

Libraries and archives in the world now face serious preservation issues. Even if we just focus on Southeast Asia with its severe climate, we can find cultural heritage of many types, in many forms, each of which requires different preservation methods. It would be very difficult, therefore, to formulate a uniform policy for preservation. However, we cannot afford to sit on our hands. It is our responsibility to find a way to preserve human cultural heritage for future generations. PAC, an IFLA Core Programme, in 1998 drew up IFLA Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Material and distributed it along with the International Preservation News (a PAC newsletter) to national libraries worldwide through the Regional Centres. 

Preservation of Original Texts

We all know that each library should design and tailor its own preservation policies and . actions. At the same time, by constantly appealing to manufactures of paper, publishers, libraries and related groups to use acid-free paper of high pH value, we will be able to preserve new publications longer. In addition, if permanent paper (ISO 9708)is used, we can achieve long-term preservation. As Mr. Rolf Dahlo, Chair of ISO/TC46/SC10, says, "Not all copies of a document need to be on permanent paper. One copy on permanent paper stored in a safe environment may preserve information for a very long time." 

What can be done for the materials that are already a part of the library collection? It is necessary to survey the condition and assess deterioration of materials and take immediate preservation measures. Further, it is necessary to improve the environment, and to include countermeasures against disasters, both natural and man-made. Measures must be taken to maintain constant temperature and humidity (20 degrees Celcius and 55% in the NDL stacks) and to protect against ultraviolet rays, dirt, dust, mould and insects. Especially, old and rare books need the most deliberate care. It is sometimes necessary to restore original materials by mending, repairing and binding. However, when restoration is required for a vast amount of deteriorated materials, phased preservation methods, such as packing in acid-free paper or boxes, may be desirable. Mass deacidification can be implemented to prolong the life of acid paper. As all of the above measures require money and personnel, not every library can implement them immediately. 

Preservation of Contents of Original Texts - Microforming

I have discussed preservation of materials in their original forms. While this is important, recent trends in preservation put emphasis on making the contents of materials available to users. If we were concerned with access alone, electronic media would be excellent. Unfortunately electronic media do not meet all our criteria. Any medium used for recording content must be durable, capable of fast, frequent access, compact, economical and suitable for recording both characters and images easily and clearly. When considering all these criteria, microfilm is still the most ideal medium available today. 

Proper production of microfilm is extremely important to preserve film for a long period of time. The film must be developed, fixed, washed in water and so on, according to international standards(ISO). The NDL makes microfilms in accordance with JIS Z 6009, which meets ISO standards. We preserve negative films in boxes and store them as master films, the temperature and humidity being kept at 18 degrees Celcius and 25% respectively. For users, the NDL provides reproductions of the negative instead of the original material. Great care must be taken in storage of negatives to avoid discoloration, fading, contamination, clouding, adhesion, curling, and microscopic blemishes. According to international standards (ISO 10602), the life expectancy of TAC-base film is 100 years and PET-base film 500 years, if stored in an appropriate environment. Presently, microfilm is perhaps the best means of preservation available. 

Though I have touched briefly on the preservation of general materials and microfilms and also on its problems, putting it into practice is fraught with many difficulties. In addition, for preservation measures in Asia, it is extremely important that we respect the traditional culture and history of each country. 

ThePAC Regional Centre for Asia

As the PAC Regional Centre for Asia, we recognize it to be most important that our preservation programmes be ongoing and meet the needs of our colleagues in Asia. However, there is a limit to one organization's resources. In cooperation with the Japan Foundation Asia Centre and the Toyota Foundation, we invite trainees from each Asian country, dispatch lecturers and sponsor surveys of materials in Asia. On the other hand, it is difficult for us to obtain comprehensive information on planning and instigation of microforming projects in Asia. It is necessary to collect, disseminate and share information on preservation of materials. With this aim, we should promote total cooperation among the relevant organizations and individuals involved in preservation  programmes in the region. It is also necessary to actively record the location of negatives produced in Southeast Asian countries. 

Concerning dissemination of preservation information, I am pleased to inform you that as of November 1999 we launched the PAC Centre English-language web site (http://www.ndl.go.jp/e/iflapac/index.html). This site provides information on the Centre's programmes and the situation in the region. We are trying to help spread this vital information even further. 

We will also work closely with UNESCO, ICA, another IFLA Core Programmes UAP and the National Library of Australia which is acting as the PAC Regional Centre for Asia and Oceania, to exchange information and develop PAC activities in the Asian Region. 

In closing, it is my pleasure to announce that in 2002, the NDL is to open its Kansai library (Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library [Provisional name]) in Kansai Science City. This library will house the Asian Resource Information Centre which will provide facilities for visiting scholars and trainees from Asia. Training programmes will include preservation of both microform and original material. With this exciting new venture, we will take a big stride into the 21st century with all its challenges.