Volume 46, Issue 2

This study examines the preservation challenges and strategies implemented at the Library of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO), part of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. The library houses rare and sometimes fragile manuscripts, historical documents, and infrastructure of historical importance. Due to KSO’s distinct climatic conditions, specialized conservation measures were crucial in safeguarding these scientific heritage resources. A comprehensive approach combining preventive measures with chemical and non-chemical interventions was adopted. Key strategies included CO 2 fumigation to protect paper-based materials from pests and specialized pest control techniques to address threats like wood borers and termites, which endangered both collections and the library’s structure. Based on practical experience during the preservation process, this study offers workable solutions for libraries and archives. It emphasizes sustainable, integrated pest management practices that minimize environmental impacts while ensuring long-term preservation. Findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring, early intervention, and eco-friendly solutions in preservation efforts. By presenting a structured methodology, this case study serves as a model for heritage libraries facing similar challenges. It advocates for a holistic approach to balance preservation techniques with the unique needs of heritage materials, ensuring their accessibility for future generations.

Depositories of cultural institutions contain written historical documents protected by enclosures against mechanical damage, solid pollutants, the effects of light, and fluctuations in temperature and/or humidity. A potentially suitable additive flame retardant has been developed for archival cardboards to reduce the loss of valuable documents during possible fires in depositories without fixed extinguishing equipment. Archival boxes made of solid cardboard were treated with two selected additive flame retardants: a mixture of natural bentonite and mica in a cellulose ether solution and an aqueous sodium silicate solution. Subsequently a medium-scale fire test was performed on treated and untreated box samples placed in archival shelves. The test conditions simulated a fire in a relatively large depository where the oxidizing agent is present for a long time and the combustion products can leave the area. The approximate time to ignition, the decrease in mass, and the increase in temperature in various parts of the shelves were measured. The flame spreading rate was recorded and the final condition of the archival boxes and their contents was evaluated. The mixed flame retardant delayed ignition, slowed the combustion, and protected most of the archival boxes against burning; moreover, prior examination did not exhibit a substantial detrimental effect on the cardboard properties.

Palm-leaf manuscripts served as a primary documentary medium across South and Southeast Asia prior to paper’s ascendancy. China’s Yunnan and Xizang regions preserve significant collections of these cultural artifacts; however, standardized conservation protocols remain underdeveloped. This investigation pioneers systematic analysis of incised palm-leaf manuscripts in Yunnan repositories, establishing a novel typology for damages and corresponding customized conservation strategies. Through empirical examination, five characteristic types of deterioration were identified. Aiming at restoring the structural integrity and functionality of palm-leaf manuscripts, the conservation strategy integrates damage classification, cleaning and stain removal, repair and reinforcement, flattening, binding restoration, and protective housing. The results demonstrate that composite fillers (palm-leaf’s powder, pulp, fiber strip, and infills) with chemical composition and physical properties matching those of the manuscript, ensure the compatibility of the repair materials. Additionally, the adhesives used in this study can be safely removed under specific conditions, effecting the reversibility of the intervention. These materials have sufficient durability under standard preservation conditions, ensuring the long-term stability of the restored areas. This study not only provides a feasible technical path for the conservation of palm-leaf manuscripts in Yunnan but also offers important guidance and references regarding conservation and preservation research for institutions worldwide that collect engraved palm-leaf manuscripts.

This article discusses traditional ways of caring for historical palm leaf manuscripts ( takepan ) made from palm leaves ( lontar ) in the Lombok region, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Data were collected using interview and documentation methods. Ethnographic thematic analysis was chosen to describe the cultural characteristics of communities which foster a long tradition of caring for manuscripts. For this purpose, manuscript owners use a wide variety of local materials, including komak ( Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet), kara ( Canthium coromandelicum ), or urang aring ( Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.) leaves, charcoal from coconut fiber, oil from lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus ), and candlenuts ( Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd.), and used engine oil. Methods of caring for manuscripts using various natural materials have been practiced for a long time, demonstrating the ongoing appreciation for and relevance of takepan manuscripts.