In contrast to the manufacturers who kept secret the process for
creating toxic Victorian bookcloth, Tedone and Grayburn said they hope
their research can be widely known in the field of library conservation.
One goal of the Poison Book Project is to document every book that has
been identified as being made with emerald green and eventually serve as
a comprehensive reference for this and other toxic bookcloths.
Additionally, they formed the Bibliotoxicology Working Group, an
international group of librarians, conservators, historians, cultural
heritage scientists and health and safety professionals. Their goal is
to create standards for identifying toxic components in books and define
best practices for keeping both the materials and the people safe.
Because few conservators have access to the tools necessary to
conclusively test their collections, Tedone and Grayburn created a color
swatch bookmark to help people visually identify books that might be
bound in emerald green bookcloth. To request a color swatch bookmark,
individuals can email reference@winterthur.org with “Emerald Green
Bookmark” in the subject line and their name and postal address in the
body of the email.
In the meantime, the scholars share simple steps that
conservationists and private collectors alike can take if they suspect
they have poison books in their collections.
First, never handle the book with bare hands. Wear nitrile gloves (like those used in medical offices).
Second, place the book(s) in a zip-lock plastic bag. Food-storage
bags from a grocery store are sufficient for temporary storage. For
long-term storage, polyethylene bags (which can be found on library
storage supply sites) provide an effective barrier and will not leach
gas or plasticized colors on the book.
And, importantly, don’t panic, the team said. Much as household
cleaning products are safe when used correctly, poison books are
harmless if handled properly.
“It’s important to preserve these books,” Tedone said. “They have
historical significance – the history of the book itself, evidence of
manufacturing, for the history of trade.” Identifying emerald green
bookcloth and establishing the Poison Book Project are just the next
steps in library preservation.
Article by Megan M.F. Everhart; photos courtesy of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Published
June 15, 2022