Thoughts on the practicability of a damage analysis in acidic book collections in the Göttingen State and University Library.

For planning library conservation measures like mass deacidification, microfilming or digitalisation in acidic book collections, it is nessessary to carry out a damage survey first. This survey should, on the one hand, make it possible to assess the extent of the damage and the suitability of the books for certain kinds of preservation, and on the other hand give direct access to the individual damaged book. With the Göttingen State and University Library as an example, it will be examined if and how a damage survey could be carried out in principle. For this a model is outlined as to how such a damage survey could be carried out. It is discussed if an item-by-item survey or a sample is more suitable, and a damage questionnaire is presented. Furthermore, the paper indicates how the questionnaire can be transformed into a database. Finally the possible course of the survey including preparations and evaluations is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]