The Abbey Newsletter, edited by Ellen McCrady, 
<http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/ap/> had been advocating the 
use of alkaline paper for decades, but publication ended in 1997.  
McCrady published a book on the topic, but it is both out of date (told 
to me by McCrady several years ago) and possibly out of print [North 
American Permanent Papers, 3rd ed. E. McCrady, ed. June 1998. 60 pp. 
ISBN 0-9622071-4-4. $19.50 plus postage, from Abbey Publications, 7105 
Geneva Dr., Austin, TX 78723 (512/929-3992, Fax 512/929-3995, e-mail 
[log in to unmask])] <http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/napp/>.

The basic observation by McCrady was that most paper is now made using 
the alkaline process because it is far more economical, allowing 
papermaking machinery to last much long when not run under the former 
acid conditions.  Glatfelter Paper was one of the first to go "all 
alkaline" in the early 1980's (or even earlier).  When I visited the 
mill in 1980, they would not "publicly" talk about using alkaline paper 
because some paper "users" liked the concept of paper going bad, so that 
they could resell the book some time in the future.  Later, with the 
help of many, including McCrady, alkaline paper was made a positive 
rather than a negative, based on the economics of papermaking. 

The point is... most papers today are acid-free and possibly alkaline.  
The degree of pulp purity will determine yellow reversion and longevity, 
but they will be probably be alkaline.  Some will have an alkaline 
reserve, extra calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid generated in the 
paper over time.  McCrady "North American Permanent Papers," through 
1998, was a listing of those papers.  It was shown, in the 1960's by WJ 
Barrow Res Lab "Permanence/Durability of the Book (I-VII)," that the 
most permanent paper, from several centuries, had calcium (often calcium 
carbonate) still present in the papers after decades or centuries. 

Today, pick a good brand name paper you trust, and then call the 
manufacture to confirm it is alkaline, made with some alkaline reserve.  
Crane Paper makes the "rag" papers used in money, among others 
<http://www.crane.com/business/thepapers/>.  The presence of "alpha" 
wood pulp,  which is wood pulp processed to the quality of cotton pulp, 
is desirable, but not as good as cotton pulp.  The Kraft (sulfate) 
process  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraft_process> is the most 
desirable, but there have been so many improvements etc. that "straight 
sulfate" process probability isn't possible.  Getting this information 
from the manufacturers' is easier to say, than to accomplish, but that 
is how "I" have would do it, now that McCrady's book is out of date.   
The McCrady book may be a good place to start however, but any 
company/product listed could have been bought and sold several times, 
over the past 8-10 years.

Permalife was probably the first paper with "manufactured-in" alkaline 
reserve (2.5% is memory serves), and the watermark shows "us" that that 
buffered paper has been used.  The preservation community knows it will 
last well into the future.  Museum/Archival materials will be 
permanently stored with Permalife paper. When "we" see the Permalife 
Watermark in the paper, in the box, drawer or whatever, we will not have 
questions that the "paper" is permanent.  If it has become yellow/brown, 
we will know that something in the storage environment is quite bad and 
needs attention.     

Tim Vitale
Paper, Photographs &
Electronic Media Conservator
Film Migration to Digital Format
Digital Imaging & Facsimiles
Preservation & Imaging Consulting
Preservation Associates
1500 Park Avenue
Suite 132
Emeryville, CA 94608

510-594-8277
510-594-8799 fax

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