Book longevity test

In the middle of the last century, a book longevity test was set up. A number of identical volumes were bound using the same materials. Some were placed on an open shelf at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, and others were placed on open shelves at the old British Library in London. The environmental conditions regarding light levels, temperature and humidity were more or less the same in both institutions, and the books were left untouched. Every 5 years, a panel of experts compared the volumes, and after a few years it became apparent that the volumes kept in London were in a worse condition than the ones in Aberystwyth. The ones in London had become stained and more brittle whilst the volumes at Aberystwyth were in quite a good condition. The only difference between the two sites was the air quality.

The experiment showed clearly how destructive air pollution in a large city can be, and it showed how The National Library of Wales’ location, with its clean air, contributes to the longevity of our collections. However, as we all know, even on the west coast, dust and dirt accumulates in the cleanest of homes.