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Brittle Books



Brittle paper cannot be restored.

Most modern paper is made of wood pulp that contains elements that slowly turn into acids.

Paper-makers add acidic chemicals to whiten paper. This acid breaks up paper fibers into short pieces, and the paper becomes yellow, brittle and breaks off easily.

picture of brittle book


Books containing paper too brittle to bind or repair are either
  • digitized
  • microfilmed
  • placed in a protective enclosure such as a phase box
  • reproduced as a preservation photocopy
  • transferred to West Campus
  • withdrawn from the collection

Link to Preservation page