Czech Libraries after flood

Several tens of libraries were inundated, more than 600.000 volumes were soaked and consequently 150.000 of them had to be frozen. Books which have not been frozen or dried promptly are being liquidated. From more rare prints 1 incunabulla, thousands of old prints from 1501 – 1800 and tens of thousands volumes of periodicals from 19th and 20th centuries and similar number of books which represent Czech and foreign scientific literature from the same period were soaked and frozen. From other documents for example research reports were afflicted equally. Most (hunedrs of thousands) of destroyed books in municipal and local libraries represent contemporary Czech publications which can be replaced.

Much more damaged documents are concentrated in archives of various institutions including those which keep unique historical documents (for exmple Architecture Archives of National Technical Museum, Military Historical Archives etc.). Most of these documents are publications of various institutions (Municipal Court, registries of various ministries etc.) which have not historical or cultural value and it is possible to destroy them according to schedule. Most of archival documents have been frozen.

Frozen publications are being collected in the only enterprise Mochovské mrazírny (Cooling Plant Mochov), in the subsidiary plant Kladno near the Prag where they could be also dried and treated subsequently. Afflicted institutions established mutual contacts and four coordination centers were established for collecting information about  the extent of damage and mediating offered aid:

1.	Libraries: National Library of the Czech Republic, Jiří Polišenský, phone +420 2 81013309, fax: 1420 2 81013107, e.mail: Polisensky.Jiri@cdh.nkp.cz
2.	Museum and galleries: Associations of Museum and Galleries: Dagmar Fialová phone +420 2 24210037, fax: +420 2 24210047, e.mail: amg@vol.cz
3.	Archives: State Central Archives, Michal Ďurovič, phone +420 2 61447472, fax: +420 2 61447215, e.mail: sua10@mvcr.cz
4.	Scientific institutes: Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, Petr Nejedlý, phone +420 2 2321252, fax: +420 2 2322962, e.mail: nejedly@ujc.cas.cz

Now more detailed data on destroyed and frozen publications are being collected as a source material for further decision-making. Coordination at the higher (i.e. governmental) level is being discussed. This discussion should result in common coordinated activities (de-freezing, drying, restoring, reformatting atc.) and central financing.

We presuppose that drying frozen documents will necessitate the application of various technologies. The best technology for the treatment of the rarest documents could be vacuum freezing (freeze drying); in the case of less valuable documents it is necessary to test industrial drying technologies. The treatment of such a large number of frozen documents necessitates many years and high expenses before they are allowed to be used again for their original purposes. 

Workplac where books will be dried need vacuum freezing device which have not been used in the Czech Republic yet. We are also discussing various drying methods with enterprises which go in for drying hops and wood. Such a technology enables to regulate the gradual increase of temperature and humidity of drying air. As non of Czech intitutions is experienced with the application of these technologies we embrace any profesional aid and advice. National Library ot the Czech Republic is negotiating with the Ministry of Culture about extending the current research project by testing some drying technologies and comparing their results among various types of documents.

National Library of the Czech Republic along with State Central Archives accepted the kind offer of Swiss gornment which sent to our country professional restorer Mr. Quido Voser who has been dealing with freezing and drying paper documents. During visits in cooling plant and in some libraries and archives he is being acquainted with our situation and is able to give additional information in this field. 

Jiří Polišenský
5. 9. 2002