Adopt a book

Protecting historical stocks is an important task in the preservation of cultural assets. Although it is possible to restore damaged or decaying books, manuscripts, incunabula, posters and maps using modern methods of preservation, it is also costly. Adopting a book is an excellent way to restore valuable cultural treasures and stabilise them for the future.

Adopt a book – preserve cultural values

Sanduhr, in der eine Buchseite zerfällt (Plakat "Haltet die Zeit auf")

Inadequate storage or too much or incorrect handling in earlier years put many older media in academic libraries at risk – they become mouldy, decay or rot. Current conservation techniques can save many of these endangered manuscripts, prints, books or large-format media. However, annual budget funds suffice only for the repairs and conservation measures that occur in everyday life.

Why not act now – adopt a book.

Every donation counts

Even small amounts help with protective measures for the various media.

  • Protective containers for the proper storage of media
  • Digitalisation to protect the valuable originals
  • Cleaning work, deacidification, repairs

Major conservation or restoration methods for the long-term preservation of the collections.

  • Dry cleaning in the event of mould infestation
  • Ink corrosion treatment of the affected pages in manuscripts
  • Stabilisation of degraded parts of pages with Japan paper
  • Consolidation work on valuable bindings

Contact

Hs 697 a – with a full restoration, your name is immortalised in the protective container.

Interested? Then contact us. We'll choose the right object for you to adopt – together.


Head of Historical Collections


Conservator