Experiencing History

Through Archives
Restoration of Memory and Repair of Records

Syamalendu Sengupta

Munshiram Manoharlal
Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
 6

Repair of Records

Record is the inscribed format of the memory of a

government, a
company or an individual. Memory may be also perpetuated orally
as is the common
practice in most of the African countries. Here we
are, to begin with, concerned with
preservation of paper records, and
pass on to electronic ones later on. Orally transmitted and elec-
tronically transcribedmemory, commonly called oral archives, and
its preservation
is another aspect of discussion which has been
excluded from the present context for it may enlarge the scope of this
discussion. Memory on paper-format may be kept and restored
by
adopting necessary and time bound archives management measures
which have been meanwhile discussed, but
preservation of records
including the techniques of their restoration is as well a scheduled set
of conservation activity--naturally worthy of drawing attention of
both professional conservationists and amateur ones. Therefore, repair
of records is an obvious sequel to restoration of memory. A
conservationist (also known as preservationist) often uses the
expression "restoration of records" when he suggests those non-
serviceable damaged, brittle and acidic records which need repair to
be restored for use. Damaged paintings are also "restored" by scientific
and artistic methods so as to give them some semblance of their
original tones and texture. It may not be ignored that "restoration and
repair" bears a special meaning in the area of conservation of archival
and book materials. Michael Roper in a Records and Archives
Management Programme (RAMP) publication on archival pre-
servation and conservation service (1989) writes that restoration and
repair work embraces active conservation processes that improve
 Archives
History Through
T12 * Experiencing
Repair of Records 113
document and restore its original
condition of a damaged Paper in its purest form consists of cellulose
amount of lignin, pectin, resin, waxes, tannins, etc. alongwith
the physical documents never small
work of archival
state. The
restoration and repair
any
information. Repair
include the replacement
of missing text or

activities consisting
Paper chiefly consists of fibres matted together, loaded and sized.
of total conservation The main constituent of fibres is cellulose. The
is however, a part paper is sized in order
ofrecords
Preservation and (2)
Restoration.
to prevent the
spreading of ink and is usually done by rosin, starch,
of (1)
gelatin and casein. Loading is added to ensure very fine printing effects
1. PRESERVATION but is considered to have a detrimental effect on paper. China clay
environmental and gypsum are most common loading agent.
means designing and developing such
Preservation
the factors responsible for deterioration Sizing: is effected (a) to prevent spreading of writing ink on paper,
conditions which obliterate (b) to render paper more resistant to penetration by moisture, and (c)
measures are adopted
to arrest the process of
of paper records. The environmental and accidental to consolidate and harden the sheet. Common sizing materials are
and eradicating
decay by controlling influence on the objects. rosin, starch, gelatin.
factors which have deteriorating Loading: is accomplished by the addition of inorganic white
retard the process of deterioration is
or
To prevent, stop fragments or fillers. Loading provides dimensional stability, improves
Preservation.
opacity, ensures brightness and receptivity of the surface to printing.
2. RESTORATION
Common loading materials are clay, calcium sulphate, titanium
oxide, zinc oxide, zinc sulphate and talc or hydrated magnesium
them back to their
Rehabilitation of deteriorated documents to bring silicate. Excess loading results in-) decrease in bonding properties
conditions as far as is restoration.
possible The process of and in strength, (i) loss of rigidity, paper becomes flabby and dirty,
original
restoration does not have any set rules for
all the documents as the
(iii) abrasiveness on the surface.
nature and extent of
restoration work depends upon the condition,
damage and the expertise of the restorer. B. Ink
Ink is the liquid medium by means of which words or characters
3. MATERIALS TO BE PrEsErVED
are inscribed on various writing materials, like paper, birch-bark,

A. Paper palm-leaf, parchment, vellum, etc. This is the second most important
The main constituent of archival and library collection is paper component of record material.
which being organic in nature is inherently perishable. The principal
Types of Ink
raw materials of paper are cotton, linen, esparto, straw, bamboo and
wood. Since the invention of paper in AD 105 by Ta Si Lun in China (a) Carbonacious inks processed from finely ground carbon,
are

soot or lamp-black which are extremely

stable and acid free. The
to the year 1798when machine process was invented by Robert are washed off easily.
Nicholas Louise all paper was made by hand. Handmade paper is of main disadvantage with these inks is that they
These have been used since earlier times.
very high quality because the paper fibres dilate evenly in all directions of the Carbonacious inks,
due to regular distribution of fibres. In machine made paper the pulp The following are some of the types
is deposited on the endless belt to form long strips of paper. The viz., Sepia Inks.
fibres of the paper adopt a longitudinal direction due to movement of Indian or Chinese ink, and Carbon inks.
well inside the paper and
machine and so the paper dilates in machine direction. Watermarks (b) Iron Gall inks-These inks penetrate
can be made to appear in light and shade gradation if depressed and are more or less permanent.
raised patterns (c) Printing inks are prepared by
grinding a pigment, generally
are inmpressed on the screen.
 Archives
114 *Experiencing History Through

or varnish. Carbon Repair of Re ords 115

boiled linseed oil
carbon black or lamp black with of all pigments and
is the most important B. External factors for deterioration
black being permanent Besides this, Zinc
oxide and titanium
fortunately is also the cheapest. chromate for yellow G) Physical Agents: The physical agents causing deterioration to
zinc
chrome yellow and library and archival material are light, heat and moisture. These
oxide for white inks, ultramarine and prussian
chrome for red inks, promote hydrolysis, OXidative and photochemical reactions which
ink, vermilion, scarlet manufacture the respective
blue for blue coloured
ink are used to are deleterious for paper materials.
of permanence.
coloured inks. The printing ink has a degree Light: Light, which is a rich source of energy provides sufficient
nature and are mostly similar
(d) 7ypewriter inks are of permanent energy for bringing physical and chemical changes. Light causes
to printing inks. Finely ground
insoluble pigment, generally carbon, of paper, fading of ink and colours.
medium which is vaseline or an oily base. physical changes like bleaching
Paper which is richin lignin contents becomes darker and turns yellow
is used in the carrying
The typewriter ribbon is generally
made of tough textile fabric
mixture. Glycerine is added to prevent
or brown and disintegrates in the presence of light. The
also ultra
and impregnated with the above violet portion of the sunlight or fluorescent light of wavelength shorter
drying of ink. than 360 milimicron is most deleterious and brings about most damage.
It is responsible for chemical changes causing scission of long chain
PAPER AND INK
4. CAUSES OF DETERIORATION OF cellulose molecule. Fibres in the paper are broken down by photo
The main deteriorating factors fall under the following categories oxidation to smaller and yet smaller fragments so that paper becomes
A. Internal factors for deterioration, brittle and fragile. All grades of paper are damaged by light though
B. External factors for deterioration, and high grade paper is less affected by light as compared to low grade
C. Human Factors. ground wood paper such as newsprint. The presence of alum resin,
gum, glue, lignin makes the paper more prone to disintegration.
A. Internal factors for deterioration Unfortunately, the reaction initiated by light continues long after
The raw material and process of manufacture determine the the source of light is discontinued. Further, the damage caused by
extent. The paper produced from
permanency of paper to a great light is irreversible and the effect of light is cumulative.
mechanical wood is intrinsically weak and the lignin content makes The intensity of light is measured in light metre or lux.
200-300
them prone to oxidation leading to decomposition, and fragmentation, lux for stack
lux are acceptable levels for reading rooms and 50-200
whreas paper produced from rag or linen fibres having higher value be switched off
and storage area. The light in the storage area must
of alpha cellulose content produces better quality of paper. Besides of documents.
when not in use as less the light, better the preservation
are affected to a
the raw material, the process of manufacture of paper also has a great Heat and moisture: Physical properties of paper
bearing on permanency of paper. For example, pulping is done both temperature leads to
great deal by change in temperature. High
by chemical methods and mechanical methods. The pulp produced Exposure to high
yellowing and embrittlement due to dehydration. a
by chemical processes is stronger and produces strong paper. While of time causes great damage.
temperature even for small duration The etffect
pulp made by mechanical processes has weak and short fibres Low temperature, however, retards the process of ageing.
though the storage
producing weak paper. Most of the mechanical strength of paper is of heat is almost similar to natural ageing,
of documents.
due to interlocking of the fibres. The short length fibres
produce paper conditions have a large bearing on the longevity
found to be
which is unable to withstand adverse environmental conditions and for 72 hours have been
leating of paper at 100°C This is
consequently start decaying. under normal conditions.
Cquivalent to 25 years of storing
called "accelerated ageing" of paper.
not show appreciable
changes
Paper made from paper does
rag from low
while paper produced
When subjected to accelerated ageing
 Archives
Through Repair of Records
116 * Experiencing History 117

degradable. The rate of carbon. Carbon though

filler content is an inert substance is
grade pulp having higher ten degree rise in temperature
capable of being
Surrounded by oilly and tarry substances. These substances
chemical reaction is
double for every are acidic
as the ratio
of vapour pressure ina in nature and as such
make the carbon
Relative humidity is expressed at the same
particles to stick to the surfaces.
the saturated vapour pressure TSP not only soil and disfigure the
paper by their constituents of dust
sample of moist air to and as the temperature and soot but are also capable of
temperature. RH is temperature
dependent transferring acidic
constituents to
increases the RH decreases. paper. Besides, the
presence of fungal spores, mycelia, bacteria and
in nature and therefore
absorbs water when moulds in TSP when transferred to
paper would result in its
Paper is hygroscopic water when the conditions are deterioration.
the environment is humid and expels
becomes soggy and limp. Higher moisture (b) Harmful gases: These include sulphur dioxide, oxides of
dry. In humid conditions it
level, i.e., above 65% dissolves gases
like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen nitrogen and ozone. Sulphur dioxide is emitted in the atmosphere
to produce sulphuric and nitric due to combustion of coal, residual oil, smelting metallic ores, refining
dioxide from the polluted atmosphere
weakens the size and softens of petroleum, etc., with oxygen and water vapour present in the
acid. The acid causes decomposition,
above 70% is conducive atmosphere, Sulphur dioxide soon undergoes chemical reaction and
the adhesive. Still higher humidity level, i.e.,
growth i.e., fungi and mould. The spores of micro- turns into sulphur trioxide and finally into sulphuric acid.
tomicro-biological
on the Sulphuric acid is an arch enemy of archival records. When
organisms which are present in the atmosphere get deposited
document. On the advent of hot and humid climate, they
start cellulose, the plant material of writing paper comes in contact with

geminating, fungi only stain and disfigure the

and mildew which not sulphuric acid, it swells, dissolves and undergoes hydrolytic cleavage.
document but also weaken the paper. They give out a musty odour in This cleavage results in shortening of long chain cellulose polymer.
store rooms.
Cellulose chain in paper is around 10,000 units long. Sufficient
Low humidity, (less than 40% i.e. the dry conditions) is equally strength of paper is still retained even after the chain length decreases
harmful for paper. This will result in desiccation of paper fibres leading considerably. It is only when it reduces to 500 units due to hydrolytic
to brittleness and disintegration. Lack of humidity also cracks the cleavages by sulphuric acid that the handling of paper would become
adhesive and results in breakdown of inter-fibre bonds making the significantly difficult.
The oxides of nitrogen are formed when air is heated to high
document fragile.
and fires. When oxides
Moisture acts as catalyst in chemical reaction and temperature temperature due to occurrance of lightening
accelerates the rate of these reactions. Fluctuation in both the vectors, absorb moisture they get converted into nitric acid.
acid and is also a powerful oxidisingg
temperature and relative humidity, causes more damage than constant Nitric acid is a very strong
book molecule in a topochemical
agent. Oxidation of cellulose
occurs
high temperature or RH, Fluctuations cause warped covers,
sufficient
flecking of ink, ete. fashion i.e., gradually advancing from layer layer. When
to
the fibres become britle
ü) Chemical Agents: Chemical deterioration is caused by breaking numbers of chain molecules are broken,
up of long chain polymer cellulose molecule. The agents which bring and may easily disintegrate into powder.
reaction in polluted
about such decay are smoke, dust, acidic gases, ink and acidic Ozone is produced as a result of photochemical
and is capable of destroying
ingredients used at the time of paper manufacture. air. Ozone is a powerful oxidising agent
(a) Total suspended particulates (TSP): The particulates vary in all cellulosic materials.
action of UV
size from large, visible ones such as dust, soot, and smoke to the Ozone is formed in the upper
atmosphere by the
minima ones which can only be seen with an electron microscope. radiation on oxygen. breaks all the double
Ozone being a powerful oxidising
TSP comprise of carbon, ash oil, grease, asbestos, metals and many agent,
comes in contact
and thus
other substances. Black colour of the smoke is essentially due to bonds on chain with which it
a carbon
degrades the fibres of paper.
 Archives

118 Experiencing History Through Kepair of kecords 119

of ink commonly used in writing has a formaldchyde vapours is also cifectivc. The
(c) Acidic ink: The type documents
also be
great
acidic
bearing on
content of paper. Iron gall inks are generallu interleaved by thymolised paper. This can be prepared bynay
imnersing
these inks generall blotting paper in a
l0% solution of
acidic in The documents written by
nature. thymol in alcohol arid subsequently
of these inks are neutralised only if the drying the paper.
develop acidity. The acidity When the
alkalinity. paper does not have hiph (b) Insects and termiles: The problem of insect attack on
paper has a high docu-
acid content, the ink eats holes in the mentary material is as old as the use of these materials. Insects are
alkalinity and ink has high
e
becomes brittle. attracted towards these materials because of the presence of food
paper orwritten
the portion
material in the form of cellulose, glue, gelatin, ett. They prefer warm,
ii) Biological Agents: Biological agents stain, disfigure, damage
These are, microbes, insects and dark, damp and unventilated places. The cormrnon insects which attack
and eataway documentary material.
human factor. paper are-cockroaches, silverfish, bookworm beetles, termites, and
termites, rodents, and rodents.
mildew and fungus which are
(a) Microbes: These include 1. Cockroaches: The domestic species which are of common
in hot and humid climate of
microscopic organisms which thrive occurence attack the documentary material. They normally do not
microbes are always present in the
tropical country. Spores of these make their appearance in light and come out only in the dark at night
condition. On advent of favourable conditions
atmosphere in dormant in search of food. They are attracted by sweet and starchy material
these start germinating. RH above 65%, darkness and poor circulation
which they get in starch adhesive used for binding. They are surface
live mould is damp and
of air promote growth of microbes. Active or feeders and destroy the bookcover to,reach the adhesive.
Cellulosic material
slimy while inactive or dormant mould is powdery. 2. Silverfish: These are small silver coloured fish like insects which
have tendency
provides a satisfactory medium for their growth. They are very slippery and move very fast. They grow
in hot and humid
and dissolve cellulose, and therefore, make it weak,
todecompose conditions and feed flour paste, photographic gelatin, and
on wood
cause stains and make the paper acidic. Foxing i.e., rusty-brown
They normally attack the book from the spine to get to
pulp paper.
spotted discolouration is also believed to be caused by fungus growth. the starch paste.
Book cover and pages nearest to the cover are more prone to be identified as
3. Bookworm beetles: The Indian bookworm beetles
attacked by fungus and mould. This is because the percentage of palm-leaf
Gastrallus indicus and is known to attack paper
and

glue is higher in the cover than other parts of the book and amount of documents. The adult beetles lay eggs on coverof the
the books from

moisture absorbed by the cover from the atmosphere is also higher. hatched. These larvae eat their way into the book,
which larvae are
To prevent and control the fungus growth, maintenance of suitable These are capable of making
tunnels
digging tunnels and galleries. feed
environment in the storages area is of prime importance. An environ- about 1 to 1.5 mm. wide running in all
directions. The larvae on

ment which will not allow the spores to germinate is clean and dry, converted into beetle
the cellulosic material and grow till finally get
with low humidity and a suitable temperature level. and they fly off.
conditions so that
Inspite of taking all the precautions, documents get infested. In It is always advisable to have ambient storage
infestation in,
sets
such conditions, the infested portion should immediately be removed occur. But once
instances of insect attack do not
from the storage area and placed in cardboard box till treated. These control measures are to be
taken.
irreversidle. For
infested records are treated in consultation with a technical person. all these insects is usually
The damage caused by chemicals which
times treating the affected documents immediately is not are a number of
Some In
treating the infested collection there
borax, clove oil,
creosote oil,

pOssible. such cases these may be freeze dried and treated later on.
Common chemicals used for
may be used. These include camphor,
chloride, naphthalene,
neem leaves,
tobacco,
treating fungus infested documenis eucalyptus oil, mercuric
indica) and
tobacco
of n e e m (Azadirachta
are penta chlorophenol, salicylanilide, mercuric chloride, mercap Pyrethrunm, turpentine.
Use
book since
earlier
to benzthiazole, have been used to protect
etc. Fumigating the infested document witn (Wicotinum tobacum)
 120 Experiencing History Through Archives
Repair of Records 121
times. Use of camphor, sandalwood, clove oil, citronella oil is also
harm the documentary material by
pre valent.
theft, vandalism and mishandling.
1. Theft is caused by (a) Lack of
4. Termites: Commonly known as white ants these are soft bodied
entry, (c) Improper vigilance.
proper vigilance (b)Unguarded
insects having a marked aversion to light. They live in communities
2. Vandalism: Vandalism is deliberate
acts to defile and
and make their entrance either by ground or through walls to have
the works of art. Physical barriers will deter the act damage
colonies and are mostly detected when considerable damage has of vandalism and
tearing of text material.
already been done. They thrive in high humidity area and feed on 3. Mishandling of document
cellulosic materials like paper, textile, glue, gum, starch, etc. They imply (a) Careless and improper
methods of handling of record materials. (b) Exposing record to
conceal themselves under mud-covered runways, over concrete,
excessive pressure, (c) Staining of record material by dirty hands,
bricks and other materials. After reaching the cellulosic material they and (d) Improper reading and referring habits.
feed on it rapidly and silently causing total destruction leaving only
the mud-cover. 5. DocUMENTARY MATERIALS OTHER THAN PAPER
For complete eradication of these, the base source of their entrance RECORDS AND THEIR PrEsERVaTION
has to be traced. The place should be hollowed and poisons like 1%
solution of sodium arsenite, 20% solution of zinc chloride, DDT, 1% Palm-leaf
chlordane, benzene hexachloride, creosote oil may be injected. All A vastcollection of palm-leaf manuscripts is available in various
the cracks and crevices should be filled with concrete. Infested manuscript libraries, museums and archives. In Indian repositories
collection should be separated immediately and treated and fumigated. these manuscripts deal mainly with praise of Gods, Vedic hymns,
5. Rodents: Rats and mice can destroy paper collection to philosophy, meditation, astrology, etc. Most of the collection dates
irreparable condition. They chew up record material converting them back to eleventh or twelfth century AD.
into short bits and pieces for their nests. They normally gain eniry The manuscripts have been written on two varieties of leaves
from outside and start breeding on getting food and shelter. namely tala and sritala. Tala is coarse and thick and does not absorb
For preventing the damage caused by rodents their entry may be ink while sritala is thin, crisp and beautiful and absorbs ink and can
checked first. All essential opening may be provided with wire net. be used like paper. The size of palm-leaves used for writing varies
Doors should be closed properly and all windows should be from 10 x 35 cm to 90 x 3.5 cm. The manuscript is usually placed
provided
with mesh sereens. Cleanliness and hygienic conditions should be between two wooden planks of slightly larger size and then wrapped
maintained. All waste matter should be disposed off properly and all in red and yellow cloth cover. In many cases the leaves have central
corners, basement and attics should be periodically checked and holes in them through which a cord is passed. The wooden planks
cleaned. Conditions which are non-conducive for also have similar holes in the centre for tying round the cord.
breeding of rodents 1. Composition: Palm-leaf contains unmodified cellulose, sugars
should be encouraged, like
prohibition eating
of and drinking in record
room, cleaning the room clear, dry and the room well ventilated. (in the form of glucosides), oils, black gum, resins and green pigment
and is rich
Elimination of rodents is possible only by
poisoning and trapping. chlorophyll. The leaf gets its nourishment from the plant
Rat poisons like zinc
phosphide, arseneous oxide, in moisture content. When the leaf is plucked and processed for
warfarin, barium
becomes embrittled.
carbonate are commonly used. Rat
traps may also be placed at making a document it loses its flexibility and due to
different places for catching them. The yellowing of palm-leaf on ageing is basically
decomposition of its green pigment.
C. Human Factors leaves improperly and their
2. Storage: Constant handling of
Human beings are one of the them enormously at the edges.
biggest enemies of records. They storage in bundles result in damaging at
damage the record materials inadvertantly and also in horizontal position and keeping
advertantly. They Arranging them in single rows
 Repair of Records 123

Birch-bark
Archives
Through
122 * Experiencing History Birch-bark (bhojpatra) was used for writing in earlier times. Birch
50-60% is recommended. The tree is mostly foundnorthern region of India. The inner
in
20-25°C and RH layers of
optimum temperature them in card-board the bark are used for
writing. This comprises of a number of thin
leaves loose and
store
best method is to keep the layers joined at intervals by means of nodules. Bcfore writing, the
in size than the documents.
or wooden boxes
which are slightly bigger
documents covered with sheets are processed by slow drying, oiling and polishing after which
the palm-leaf
3. Cleaning: For cleaning
and alcohol (1:1) has
been found to they are cut into paper size.
dust, use of mixture of glycerine soluble writings, use 1. Storage: Ambient storage condition required for birch-bark
leaves having water
be satisfactory. For plam successful. Stuck- manuscript is same as that required for paper, i.e., temperature in the
carbontetrachloride has been
of acetone, benzene or range of 22-25°C and RH=45-55%. In the absence of proper storage
them in a humidification room.
be separated by placing
up leaves, may conditions the layers of birch-bark tend to separate and cdges get
each leaf is, separated carefully
When they become sufficiently moist,
curled up.
These leaves may also be separated by placing
by means of blunt knife. few drops of glycerine. The method of storage is the same as that of palm-leaf manuscript.
them in a bath of hot water (60°C) containinga
and if the writing is water
The leaves are tied to each other by means of a thread passing in
After an hour each leaf is separated,
immersion in a between the hole at the centre of each sheet. Two wooden planks
washable the stuck up leaves may be separated by
bath of hot (70-80° C) liquid paraffin.
After this the leaves are slightly larger in size than that size of the sheet are placed at the
upper end and the bottom to give support.
separated and washed with acetone. 2. Deterioration and treatment: A birch-bark sheet is composed
4. Fumigation: Palm-leaves are generally found infested with
insect free, some of a number of thin layers joined together by nodules which contain
bookworm (Gastrallus indicus). To keep the leaves natural gum. With the passage of time the gum starts decomposing
are kept with the
herbs like pandri, ghora bachch, neem, etc.
infested leaves treated with paradichloro benzene and the layers start separating and become hard and brittle. Some
manuscript. The are
the individual leaves get stuck together. The
tetrachloride and ethylene dichloride (1:3). times when RH is high,
and mixture of carbon
stuck up leaves may be separated by exposing them to steam
or
5. Oiling for flexibility: Loss of natural oil contents of palm-leaf
humidification chamber when each leaf is separated using
with passage of time makes the leaves dry, brittle and fragile. A keeping in
number of methods have been tried to regain the flexibility. A mixture blunt spatula.
birch
Normally insects do not attack birch-bark manuscripts as
of polyethylene glycol 200, lemon grass oil and water (1:4:20) and in form of birch-
natural preservative chemical
water and cetronella oil (1:1) emulsion have been found to be quite bark contains some

oil which contains salicyclic acid. Old birch-bark manuscripts

are

effective.
6. Inking: To make the engraved writing in the palm-leaf visible, repaired by chiffon repair or lamination.
a black pigment (lamp black) is rubbed over the leaves. Over the
Parchment and vellum
years this pigment is lost and writing becomes faded. This may be and goat while vellum is
revived by rubbing powdered graphite, or lamp black or a mixture of Parchment is semi-tanned skin of sheep
is soaked in lime water for
citronella oil, alcohol and carbon black with the help of cotton swab the skin of calf-kid or lamb. The skin The main
and dried on stretchers.
over the surface. three days to remove fat and hair water.
is insoluble proteins and
7. Reinforcement: The damaged leaves with large holes are repaired constituent of parchment and vellum
considerable strength and
are bound together
with another plain-palm leaf. According to the shape and size of the Proteins form fibres of
means of hydrogen
intermolecular bonds by
lacuna in the leaf, a plain palm-leaf is cut with a sharp blade and the by water which forms affected by the same
is fixed on the lacuna with 5% solution of Parchment and vellum are generally
piece polyvinyl acetone in bridges.
toluens.
Other methods of reinforcement of palm-leaf document are chiffon
repair, tissue repair, encapsulation and lamination.
 Archives
Through
Experiencing History
124* Repair of Records *
125
Fluctuation in temperature and RH 55% are most suitable for archival
paper is.
to
deteriorating factors collection. In non-conditioned
as
fibres remain flexible when
a great
extent. Protein area proper circulation of air must be
affects skins to
of humidity tends to make
ensured. The room selected for
is maintained. Lack storage must be properly ventilated. This
hygrometric balance of humidity transfers the may be facilitated by
them rigid due to
desiccation while
exceSs
installing fans, circulators and exhaust fans. The stagnant pockets of
The problem ot acidity is not present in air must be avoided as they will
protein fibres into gelatins. encourage germination of microbial
this case because of
alkaline preparation process. spores and growth of insects. Constant fluctuation in
of parchment and vellum relative humidity is really harmful. temperature and
The main problem in preservation
Dust tend to
of dust on these manuscripts. The repository must be neat and clean.
manuscript is the effect of parchment. Affected Cleaningoperations must
accumulate and get
embedded in the surface be carried out using vacuum cleaners. Use of vacuumcleaners will
erasers of various types.,
documents as such are
cleaned by using facilitate in eliminating the dirt and dust. Care should be taken to
cleaners. However a bath containing avoid infestation of records. Insecticidal solutions must be
Solvents are not very effective
in varying proportions is used for
sprayed
water, alcohol and glycerine
in the repository butprecaution must be taken not to direct the spray
cleaning. Oils are generally applied after this treatment for restoring on the documents. This may stain and disfigure them and also
may
their flexibility. leave some residue over the documents. Naphthalene bricks must be
documents are "*stitched" using kept on the shelves but not on the documents at regular interval.
Repair: Torn portions of parchment
was joining the two pieces by using
nylon. Another method of repair Eatables and beverages must be prohibited inside the repository. Room
the parchment.
acetic acid which acts as adhesive by gelatinizing selected for housing the records should preferably be on the ground
The ideal method is joining parchment with adhesive like polyvinyl floor. All opening should be such oriented as to avoid any sunlight
the
acetate. For mending holes in parchment documents cap type' patch directly falling on the record material. All the windows must be
is generally made by marking the activities of the hole in fresh provided with rain shades to protect the collection from splashing of
parchment. The patch is cut bigger by 3 to 5 mm than that marked. rain water. Passing of water pipes near or around the room must be
The patch is fitted in the hole with borders overlap. Small quantity of avoided. All the openings must be provided with metal grills and
polyvinyl acetate is applied to the edges of the hole and this is kept wire mesh for security reasons. The elecric wires inside the room
under weight. must be through conduit and the main switch must be installed outside
the room. Smoking should strictly be banned inside the repository.
6. THE REPOSITORY OF RECORDS For any eventuality the fire fighting equipments of cabon-dioxide
and Halon type must be installed and the staff deployed in the
"Prevention is better than cure" is the motto to be followed in the
repository must be trained in their operation.
repository housing the records. The records and books are kept in a
Maintenance of proper storage conditions enhances the life of
place which is not or least affected by deteriorating agents. The collection whereas improper storage conditions lead to their damage.
repository must satisfy certain basic standards for building documents is
Besides storage, proper handling and use of books and
and layout. In a tropical country these standards are to
construction
be taken more seriously.
another aspect of their longevity. The undue stress
on books and

records while using them by opening the thick bound volume by force,
lines on the document,
(a) Housekeeping dog-earing the documents, making marks or
some of the factors
pulling them from the shelf by their edges
are
The storage area should
round the clock
preferably be air-conditioned running responsible for their damage.
throughout year. The two vectors,
the to its early decay. Ifa
and humidity are to be temperaturc Non-use of any collection also leads
maintained to suit the documentary material. if is not opened and aired
A temperature within the collection is not referred for a long time,
range of 22-25°C and relative humidity 45
 Archives Repair of Records
126* Experiencing History Through 127
around it. In this nasty
A. Examination
frequently, it develops a micro-climate The document is cxamined to understand its
documents deteriorate. basic constituents,
microclimate books and
whether it is palm-leaf, birch-bark, vellum,
parchment or paper and
the type of ink and also the type of deterioration
(b) Shelving suffered by it.
be such designed as it
facilitates storing of books According to the basic component of the document the treatment is
Shelving should initiated. It is ascertained whether ink of the document is water-
and documents and their retrieval. It
should be solid and durable, not
or else the access will be
difficult. The edges of washable or water-resistant. Acidity of the document and
too high or too deep type of
the shelves must be rounded off. For storage of records metal shelving infestation, if any, is analysed. The extent of danage is also observed
is preferred to wooden shelving. In case of wooden shelving already and a future plan of action is decided and documented. It is desirable
anti-termite solution to avoid any to have a photograph of the damaged document
present, they must be treated with prior to its repair.
infestation. The metal shelves must be painted rustproof. All the
shelves must be kept away from wall by 15 cm. and the height must B. Fumigation
not reach the ceiling. This is done to avoid infestation from wall and The infested documents are exposed to fumes and vapours of toxic
chemicals for sufficient period of time to kill the live infestation. The
ceiling. Free circulation of air between shelves should be maintained.
The collection should not be packed too tightly in the shelves. Use of fumigation is carried out in two waysi) Airtight chambers and
book ends must be made and books must be stored properly without (i) Vacuum.
leaning to avoid undue stress on the edges. Oversized and heavy books (i) Airtight chambers: The infested documents are kept in closed
must be stored horizontally. Piling of books one over the other must environment together with chemicals like thymol, naphthalene.
be avoided. paradichlorobenzene, pyrethrum, chlordane, methyl bromide,
sulphuryl fluoride or formaldehyde. The infested documents are kept
7. PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OF RESTORATION opened inside the chamber alongwith the fumigant. For fungus
infested documents, thymol is used as a fumigant. The vapours of
Ensuring physical and functional features of document is the main
aim of restoration. Whatever restoration technique is followed, it must thymol are lighter than air so thymol is kept in the lowermost shelf
and infested documents at the upper shelves.
retain the essence of the original document, as the priceless heritage
For documents infested with insects fumigation with para
is to be passed on to the coming generations. The fragile and organic
dichlorobenzene is generally practised. This chemical fumes at room
nature of the document require all care and protection during the temperature and is kept at the uppermost shelf as its vapours are
time of restoration. The cause and extent of damage are to be heavier than air.
calculated before giving any treatment. Reversibility of any technique
These treatments kill the live infestation but not the eggs. It is
applied is a must. There cannot be a generalisation of repair technique advisable to repeat the treatment after three weeks when the eggs
to be followed for all the documents. The
technique or series of will be hatched and live insect may be killed.
techniques will be specific for a particular document which will
depend upon the extent and nature of damage the document has A prototype model of such a fumigation chamber is developed at
suffered. Each document has to be examined National Archives of India. This is an airtight, stainless steel,
separately when the controlled chamber with circulatory fans inside for
course of treatment is to be decided. thermostatically
and provision for gas in-let and
Generally the following course of action is followed, the steps not uniform distribution of fumigant a

required for a particular document may be eliminated: out-lets for gaseous fumigant.
number of infested documents
(11) Vacuum fumigation: A great
small chamber without even opening
may be fumigated in vacuum in a
is achieved in
the document. A perfect penetration of fumigant
 Archives Repair of Records
128* Experiencing History Through 129
Paint Mixture
rupturing their shells, larvae of alcohol and
vacuum. This treatment destroys eggs, by Varnishes 3% oxalic acid
benzene
Oxide and carbon dioxide)
and adults. Ethoxide mixture (ethylene Mildew Benzene or ethyl alcohol
Fumigation with toxic fumigants
was used in vacuum for fumigation. Wax
bio-deterioration. EthOxide
mixture was Petroleum ether or toluene
is the only solution to Glue
to the ever present biological
Warm water
considered a simple and sure solution Tea or coffee
its deadly effects on human beings was Potassium perborate
threat till recently, when Ball pen ink
is being searched on. At Ethanol
known. An alternative to ethylene oxide
under v a c u u m is being Grease Petroleum ether
National Archives of India carbon dioxide gas Stamp pad ink Ethanol and acetic acid
used.
Conservation institutes the world over are engaged in expe-
Bleaching of stain makes the paper weak and hence should be
is used
rimenting with more effective and toxic fumigants. Thymol done only if very necessary. Very weak and fragile documents should
Para-dichloro benzene and killo-
for fungus infested documents. not be bleached. Some of the common bleaching agents are
and carbon tetra-chloride)
ptera (a mixture of ethylene dichloride hydrogen peroxide, chloramine T, which is generally used for treating
is used under airtight atmosphere. Getty Conservation Institute has foxing marks, hypochlorites, pottassium permanganate and oxalie
investigated the use of sulfuryl fluoride. Use of inert gas environment acid, chlorine dioxide, etc. After bleaching, the document must be
at low RH was also considered. A safe, non-toxic pest-control method washed thoroughly and the treatment must be carried out in a well
by sealing off the infested documents in an argon gas atmosphere is ventilated room.
also suggested.
D. Deacidification
C. Cleaning and Stain Removal: Paper acquires acidity mainly due to-
Before giving any treatment, the documents are paginated. The (a) some of the raw materials used in the manufacture of modern
documents are cleaned to remove superficial dust and dirt. Mechanical
paper, being compounds are acidic.
cleaning is done by using soft brush and if the collection of documents (b) Some of the chemicals used in the process of manufacture
to be dusted is large, use of vacuum cleaner may also be made. Pencil
which in combination with other substances produce acidic
marks are removed by using erasers. Cleaning of soiled documents is
also carried out by using non-aqueous solvents like petroleum ether,
compounds.
(c) The absorption of acidic compounds from the atmosphere,
benzene, or chloroform, etc. Washing of documents in water also
and
gives good results. For such type of cleaning., the water washable ink (d) The various inks used on paper contain acidic compounds.
may first be protected. Washing with water also removes soluble Two of the most important chemicals which produce acidic
acidity from the documents alongwith dust and thus increases its
mechanical strength. However, washing of very old and fragile compounds in paper during the process of manufacturing, are chlorine
used for bleaching, and alum and rosin used for sizing.
documents should be done very carefully. Such documents should be
supported by placing them over wax paper or wire net as they are During the process of manufacture, there is the likelihood of
likely to torn off while wet. particles of iron and copper finding their way into the paper as a
result of the various machines involved in the paper making process.
Some common stains which
disfigure the document removed
are
These particles of iron and copper could catalyze the reaction of water
by treatment with common organic solvents. Stains which are not and sulphur dioxide (from atmospheric pollution) to form acid
removed by organic solvents may be removed
common stains are removed
by bleaching. Some As result of the absorption of such gases as sulphur dioxide,
a
by using following chemicals- from the
OZOne, nitrous oxide, sulphide and other compounds
into paper.
atmosphere, acidic compounds find their way
 Archives
Through
130 Experiencing History

acid in paper is that the acid being catals ic

The important fact about
can hyarOiyze very large amounts
and non-volatile, even small amount Repair of Recrds 131
the links of celulose polymer chains and
of cellulose, thus, breaking strengthens it by improving fibre to fibre
the paper fibres. The result is discolouration bending and also removes
reducing the strength of stains, marks and other discolouration.
and embrittlement together
with decrease in strength. The process, however is not
Action of acid causes a decrease
in the chain length of cellulose
ments as weak documents cannot be
recommended for very weak docu-
random breaking of the chains. Excessive chain shortenino The Barrows two bath
handled when wet.
polymer by deacidification
and paper strength, De process: In 1940s, Barrow
results in a gradual decrease in fibre developed a method for deacidifying documents
acidification is the process of introduction of an alkaline buffer against first in a solution of calcium by soaking them
acid catalysed hydrolysis. In all the deacidification process the hydroxide
calcium bicarbonate. This process neutralises
and then in a solution of
the
deacidifying agent is brought in contact with
acidic
paper. The agent precipitates calcium carbonate on the paper to act as a acidity and
destroys all the free acidity present in the paper and finally leaves an against any acid that may attack the document in future. buffering agent
alkaline buffer in the paper. Magnesium bicarbonate: Acidic docunents are immersed in 0.2%
An ideal deacidification treatment is one which- aqueous solution of magnesium bicarbonate which
(a) Removes all free acidity. nature neutralises the acidity of the documents. being alkaline in
Excess of bicarbonate
(b) Leaves a harmless residue and a PH of 7.0 to 8.5. is converted into carbonate which remains
with the documents and
(c) The treatment should not have any adverse effect to the acts as buffer.
conservator.
(d) The treatment should not harm the document in any way and C. Non aqueous deacidification
should be easy and economical. Bayens Cope of the British Museum Research Laboratory deve
(e) The treatment should not leave an odour and should not leave loped a non-aqueous deacidification process. The process is recom-
any stain on the document. mended for the documents which are too weak to be treated
by aque-
Deacidification process can be classified as- ous deacidification techniques and whose ink is water washable. This
A. Dry method; treatment involves the use of organic solvents in
place of water with
B. Aqueous deacidification; deacidifying agent. The various non-aqueous solutions used are 2%
C. Non-aqueous deacidification; and solution of barium hydroxide in methanol, 5% solution of magnesium
D. Vapour phase/gaseous deacidification; and methoxide in methanol, 2% solution of magnesium acetate in 95%
E. Mass deacidification. spirit. These solutions may be used as an immersion treatment or by
brushing or spraying when the paper is very fragile.
A. Dry method
Finely powdered calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate is D. Gaseous/Vapour phase deacidification
sprinkled as a thin layer on the document and allowed to remain init Gases and vapours have been used for deacidification of documents
for 36-48 hours. The rate of deacidification
depends upon the moisture
as they offer certain basic
advantages. The process avoids wetting of
content of the document. weak documents but penetration of gases for deacidification is
Demerit-The process is very slow and cumbersome. complete and uniform. A 10% solution of ammonia is used as a
gaseous fumigant which raises the PH of documents to about 8.
B. Aqueous deacidification iowever, a periodic repetition of the process is required.
Aqueous deacidification method is applicable to the
documents
having water-resistant writing ink. The documents are immersed E. Mass deacidification
aqueous solutions for neutralising their n Another method applied for deacidification is mass
deacidification.
acidity. The wetting of pap his mode of treatment allows several hundred volumes
to be treated
 Archives
Through
* Experiencing History
132 Repair of Records 133
time without disbinding
therm. and fragile documents with faded
at the same
deacidification of a whola Documents are also repaired usingwriting.
the process of chiffon (silk gauge) in
Longwell developed tissue paper. The silk gauge used is
amine carbonate. (GH,NH,CO,). The place of
publication with eyclo hexyl about 8 and increases the foldina slightly
and paste is applied from top of the silk. snaller than the document
the PH to
process enhances The repaired docurment is
endurance. The process suffers
from the drawback that the compound framed by using handmade paper.
is volatile and poisonous. Lamination: The document to be laminated is sandwiched
has extensively worked on the sheets of tissue paper and cellulosc between
Library of Congress, Washington acetate foil of archival
possibilities of using diethyl zinc as a deaciditying agent. The vapours specifications. The envelop so prepared may be
of diethyl zine penetrate into the paper
and neutralises the acidity, high temperature and pressure. The envelop is heat-sealed by using
the cost of operation is and fed into the laminator which has a placed between teflon
The process raises the PH to 7.8. However,
temperature of 140-150C and
is required as diethyl zinc is pressure varying from 22-36 kg/cm 2. This is machine lamination
high and extra care in operation
process. The resulting laminated document offers
Pyrophoric. great resistance to
adverse climatic conditions. This
technique cannot be used for very
8. REPAIR TeCHNIQUESs weak and fragile documents as the use of
high temperature and
pressure during lamination will destroy them.
Old documents generally
are found to be folded, dog-eared, with weak It is well-known that the National Archives of
India developed
edges and curls. It is necessary to remove these creases and folds lest
a
technique of lamination without use of heat and pressure. The process
they should suffer damage at the fold lines. Such documents should is called solvent or hand lamination process. It is also called
not be flattened in dry state. They are first made damp by either using
thermoplastic lamination. It is generally preceded by deacidification
a wet sponge or blotting paper and then by using mild hot iron. These of damaged documents. It is effected
are thus flattened. Small tears may be repaired by using properly cut by enclosing the document
between two sheets of cellulose acetate with thin tissue which is bound
strips of tissue paper or handmade paper. In any case, the original to the document by acetone. The document is
document should never be trimmed or cut.
pressed under moderate
pressure. The process is simple and does not require installation of
The documents which are very weak and require restrengthening heavy and costly machinery. Old and fragile documents may be
treatment are repaired by any of the following techniques depending repaired by this process as it does not require use of high temperature
upon the quality of material and the extent of damage. and pressure.
Full paste repair: This is done by pasting rag handmade paper at Delamination: The laminated document is immersed in, bath of
the back of the document. Size of the handmade paper should be acetone. Acetone will dissolve the cellulose acetate film and remove
slightly larger than the size of the document. Starch paste is used as the tissue paper.
an adhesive. The process suffers from the limitation that only those Cellulose acetate paste repair: Considering the escalating price
documents which have writing only on one side and the ink is water of cellulose acetate foil which still needs to be imported, an effort
resistant can be repaired by this process. was made at the Conservation Research Laboratory of National
Tissue repair: Two sheets of acid free tissue Archives of India to develop a suitable formulation using cellulose
paper of archival
standards, slightly larger than the document are pasted on the both acetate powder which is available indigeneously.
sides of the document. The adhesive used for An emulsion of cellulose acetate powder, prepared in acetone
pasting is either thin
starch paste or CMC (sodium salt or
admixing a plasticiser (dimethyl phthalate) to provide flexibility
to
carboxy methyl cellulose) paste.
Adhesive coated tissue paper is also used to increase
This technique cannot be used for
for repair of documents. ne repaired documents and a wetting agent (1,4-dioxan)
time of acetone,
documents written with watc s
spreading power and improve upon the drying
washable ink unless the ink is first
protected and also for very weak
 Archives
134 *
Experiencing History Through Repair of Records 135

varied thickness were document to be repaired is placcd. Second is

was developed (Appendix 1). Samples of of the repair assembly filted to bottom of the tray. Third is a the vacuum pump
reversibility
satisfactorily repaired using this paste. Quick through which the pulp suspension is tunnel type container
is an added
process as compared to
other restoration techniques poured
fibrous suspension is made of old or new over the docunent.
The
rag cotton
papers, linters or
advantage.
than the document is placed
chemical pulp. The process suffers from the demerit that
A sheet of tissue paper slightly larger are sensitive to water can inks which
bleed during
over the document and the paste is applied
over the tissue paper with
leafcasting proCess.
other side of the
the help of a brush. The surface is rubbed and Binding
document is similarly treated. The process can be reversed immersing
After individual sheets are reinforced
they are
therepaired document in a bath of acetone. bound. Binding process comprises a nurnber guarded, gathered and
of steps which
Encapsulation: The technique was developed in the Library of manual. All the materials used while binding like handmade
all are

and britle
Congress, Washington in 197Os. Extremely fragile paper,
thread, glue, docket cover, binding cloth, board, leather, etc., should
documents are encapsulated between two sheets of polyester film
conform to archival standards.
slightly larger in size than the document. Four sides of polyester film Guarding and docketing: In this process loose sheets are attached
are sealed either by double-sided tape-heated spatula. At times the
four sides are stitched by sewing machine. The document remains in
to guard slips which are made of hand-Tmade paper of 25 cm. 4 to
cm. width. The guard
its position due to electrostatic charge developed. The document slip provides number of advantages like it
a

should be deacidified before encapsulation as acidic document under protects the original document from needle piercing while stitching
the sections, márginal text is clearly visible (which facilitates
sealed condition will deteriorate quickly. The thickness of the easy
photocopying and microfilming), sheets of verying size can be made
encapsulated document is considerably increased. The process is also up into uniform size for preparing a section. Single sheet repaired
not suitable for documents written with charcoal or pencil. However
documents are grouped into sections. Two sheets are attached to one
the process is recommended for very weak documents which are not
guard slip and a section of 8 sheets are attached in a way that sheet 1
in a position to be handled and undergo any type of restrengthening
is joined to 8, 2 is joined to 7, 3 to 6, and 4 to 5. The place where
process. There is no harm to the encapsuled document as no chemical
guard slip is joined to the document gets thickened and to balance
is applied directly on the document. The reversibilty of the technique
this thickness, "Get in" papers are inserted in-between the folds. "Get
is also very easy. Just by cutting the polyester film, the document can
be recovered.
in slips are made of bond paper and is generally 5 cm. in width. The
section or gather is placed in docket cover and stitched.
Leafcasting technique: Leafcasting technique is the process of Binding: The protective covering used in earlier days are now
filling holes and small gaps, etc., in a document, by using freshly modified into binding which provides safety to books in both the
prepared pulp from all rag paper. conditions-in use and in storage. After sections are prepared of
Suitably prepared paper fibres are uniformly dispersed in water in sheets and stitched, end are attached at the first and
guarded papers
a chamber at the base of which is a paper making screen on which
last page of the formed book. End papers are prepared from handmade
the damaged document is placed. The suspension of pulp in water is done on tapes. There
paper. For heavy books and volumes stitching is
then sucked downwards by suction pumps and the fibres are
deposited are many types of stitching and the required may
one be chosen.
on the screen i.e., the
missing area of the document. Next comes the glueing of spine and the adhesive
used is either glue
The document is wetted in the
leafcasting chamber where the new or PVA. The material suitable for lining the spine
is kraft paper or
fibres are being cast so that after drying and pressing they form a is lined and rounded.
cotton fabric. The back of the stitched volume
satisfactory stable bond connecting fibres
of the original. This is done to protect the fore edge and is
about one-third of a circle.
The repair is done machine leafcaster. In the machine there
on a
are three main
components-the section tray on which the paper
 Archives
136 *
Experiencing History Through

covers. Nowadays boards Repair of Records 137

Mill board or plywood board are used for
used are methacrylate or PVC laminate which are stable and do not from the atmosphere make them flexible.
to
pose deterioration problem. documents are
separated as they Complctely burnt
cannot be retrieved.
The boards are covered using cloth or leather. The leather covers and slightly charred documents are Partially burnt
are prone to be attacked by insecticide and therefore precautionary
separated
enclosed separate enclosure for further
in and each sheet is
measures are to be adopted. Leather covers are also treated with leather
restoration.
preservative mixture which contains cedarwood oil, lanolin, bees wax
and a fungicide.

Special Preservation Techniques: Water soaked records: (i) Water

has been an important part during manufacture of paper. But once
the paper is made and is in use, water becomes a dangerous enemy.
Water damages record material in many ways. The cover of the bound
volumes are warped, the paper get swollen and wrinkled, sizing of
the paper is softened and pages get stuck together. If the volume is
left in this condition and dried the volume will become enmass. The
separation of pages will be difficult.
These documents need immediate treatment as they are
prone to
be attacked by microbes and insects.
The books and volumes drenchedi water are spread open inside
a separate room.
Wet papers may be separated from one another and
left for drying
under fan. Individual leaves may be interleaved
by
blotting paper. The papers which get stuck together are separated by
using a blunt spatula.
The collection after
drying must be fumigated. If large collection
of wet documents needs
treatment, there may be no time to give them
proper attention. These documents may be "freeze-dried" in the first
instance and treated later.
Freeze-drying the records will prevent them
from being attacked by microbes.

Charred Documents: (ii) Charred

documents are the result of
accidental fire or sabotage. Such
documents are very vulnerable and
require attention of an expert. These documents be
into three can classified
documents categories-completely
burnt document,
and only slightly burnt
documents. These
partially burnt
been subjected to intense heat which desiccate them documents have
extremely dry and brittle. Each and make them
sheet is allowed to absorb moisture