Historical collections on sport and medicine – mass deacidification of the holdings of the University Library / Humboldt-Universität in Berlin

The University Library of Humboldt-Universität, founded in 1831, is the oldest university library in Berlin and owns an extensive historical collection. A large proportion of this collection dates from 1850 to 1950, when paper and cardboard were acidic as a result of industrial manufacturing processes. They are at risk from chemical degradation. The collection dating from after 1950 is characterised by publications from the GDR, which are also mainly made up of acidic paper. Mass deacidification – alongside cleaning, prevention and individual restoration – is a key component of collection preservation at the University Library.
The project aims to focus on rare holdings and legal deposit copies in the fields of sports science and medicine. This work is urgently needed, not only because the journal holdings in particular is at high risk of acid damage, but also because a digitisation project is planned.
The selected collections originate from the two branch libraries: Campus Nord and Grimm-Zentrum. At Campus Nord, 500 titles on the history of sport were selected. These originate largely from the private specialist libraries of gymnastics educators – the pioneers of modern sports science – who worked at the Royal Prussian State “Landesturnanstalt” in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The medical history collection is mainly housed in the Grimm-Zentrum and originates from the former ‘Central University Library’. Both collections are highly relevant to the history of their disciplines as well as to research in social and general history. Titles on the history of sport are frequently requested via interlibrary loan, and there are also specific academic collaborations in place. Many titles of the holdings are extremely rare, and a significant part of which are held exclusively by the University Library; there is also a high concentration of legal deposit copies. The medical history collection consists almost entirely of legal deposit copies, primarily journals, including rare titles relevant to research in sexology and in gender studies. The University Library exercised the legal deposit right for the Berlin-Brandenburg region from 1825 to 1970. This collection is of particular value, as the University Library suffered few losses during the Second World War and can therefore compensate for losses incurred by other libraries.
The University Library has already gained positive experience with mass deacidification in a pilot project in 2023 and in a project in 2024, funded by the BKM and the State of Berlin.
The University Library plans to pre-sort the selected holdings and deacidify them as a service using either the liquid-phase method with a solvent or by dispersion (in accordance with DIN 32701). The process will be documented both physically in the books and in the catalogue as well.