When Paper Turns Fragile: The Science Behind America’s Aging Bookshelves

It’s easy to imagine that all books age gracefully, but the truth is far more acidic. Between 1840 and 1940, American publishers embraced new paper-making methods that left a hidden legacy: millions of books with paper that grows brittle over time. A recent Mellon-funded study tackled this quiet crisis by examining over 2,500 volumes from five major libraries across the country, focusing on the physical, chemical, and optical quirks of supposedly identical books. Researchers used non-invasive tools and advanced data modeling to decode how paper pulp types and regional production differences shaped the fate of these texts. Their findings are reshaping how libraries nationwide decide which books to preserve for the long haul. In the world of shared print programs, survival isn’t just about what’s rare—it’s about what’s built to last. Sometimes, the story of a collection is written in the fibers themselves. #PreservationScience #LibraryOfCongress #BookHistory #Culture