Csapodi, Csaba: Conservation of the Manuscript and Old Book Collections at the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Methods and Results. 1949–1964 (A MTAK kiadványai 44. Budapest, 1965)

when there are cabinets on the galleries in an approximately five-metre high room. The air was regularly checked by automatically registering hygrometers. When it is 20° С at desk height, it is 24—25° С at the galleries, while the relative humidity of the air lowers 20%. This is unthinkable for after a longer period it destroys and disintegrates the paper: dry heat is the worst enemy of paper. The humidity produced by water containers placed on the radiators is insufficient to raise the relative humidity to the necessary level. Ten to fifteen years ago the libraries were inadequately heated (16 — 17° C) and the librarians suffered from the cold, while today maintenance of the collection is difficult because of comfortable heating. Unfortunately it was impossible to set up a satisfactory system of ventilation or air conditioning under present circumstances. The hall-library solution and the glass cabinets were not the answer to the ventilation problem of the collection. The deep alcoves under the galleries are quite dark and conducive to mould, worms and other enemies of books. It was not the fault of the furnishing but the result of the provision of the building that the smoke of the central heating system settled in the inner courtyard and crept into the manuscript collection through openings at the windows. The sulphur content of this smoke, together with the humidity of the air form sulphuric acid which is extremely injurious to paper and leather. Only the new library, which will soon be built, will bring a solution. There the historical spirit, aesthetic qualities and former comfort will be exchanged, for a new system of separating the offices and the storage rooms will be installed. Instead of glass cabinets in the rooms the open iron shelves will accommodate the material in the storage rooms. At first glance it seems that we have returned to the original situation, but things are actually different because I. the most valuable material in the store rooms will be kept in a series of fireproof, regularly ventilated safes; 2. the rest will be kept on nonflammable iron shelves instead of inflammable wooden ones; 3. all of the manuscripts will be kept in proper protected covers (portfolios, boxes) on the shelves (Plate 4); 4. and finally the storerooms will be air conditioned and dust free. Organization of Conservation Work The conservation of the manuscripts and old Hungarian books began immediately after the completion of the new furnishings in 1951. In the first year the Academy appropriated 50 000 Forints for the work. In the following year the regular annual budget of the Library included proper amounts for this too. It was thus possible to radically change the conditions in the collection. For the most part the necessary work was done by Dezső SASVÁRI since the Library lacked not only its own conservators and a restoration workshop, but also its own bookbinding department. In three or four years the most important part of the manuscript and old Hungarian book collections was put into order.

5 When, in 1954, the old book collections was made separate, it became imperative to prevent the further deterioration of especially the alarmingly 5 See BERLÁSZ Jenő: op. cit. 8