GLOSSARY OF COMMON PRESERVATION TERMS

Acid-Free (ODLIS)
Acid-free materials have a ph value of 7.0 or higher, which prevents the deterioration caused by acid over time.

Acid Migration (ODLIS)
The movement of acid from a material containing acid to one that is less acidic, pH neutral, or alkaline. The process can occur through direct contact or vapor transfer. One of the most common problems in document preservation is the migration of acid from the boards, endpapers, or paper covers of a book to the less acidic paper of the text block (or vice versa). Acid can also migrate from bookplates, inserts, tissues used in interleaving, and labels that are not acid-free. The result may be discoloration and eventual embrittlement. The process can be arrested by removing the contaminating material and subjecting the sheet(s) or volume to deacidification.

Archival Quality (ODLIS)
refers to the physical properties of printed materials which make them suitable for permanent storage. For example, paper must be free of contaminates such as chemicals and mildew and have a ph of 7 or higher.

Book (ODLIS)
a collection of leaves of paper, parchment, vellum, cloth or other materials (written, printed, or blank) fastened together in some manner, with or without a case or cover.

Book Block (Conservogram 19/2)
A sturdy book form made from archival materials.

Book Jackets (see)Wrapper

Book Shoe (Christopher Clarkson and Sherelyn Ogden, “The Book Shoe: Description and Uses” in Preservation of Library and Archival Materials: A Manual, 3rd ed. Andover, MA: Northeast Document Conservation Center, 1.) Similar to slip-case, but has no top. The shoe will hold the book closed, and the support will remove much of the strain on the text-block of a vertically standing book.

Broadside (American Heritage 1996)
is a publication printed on a single or composite piece of paper or other material; it may be printed on one or both sides and may be bound or unbound. The content is mostly textual in nature but may contain illustrations that are subordinate to the text.