Experimentation on Alternative Uses of Bookkeeper

This research examined the effects of Bookkeeper on the rate of mold growth, the rate of water absorption, the discoloration of papers, and the drying of wet books. Northwestern University Library has been a client of the Bookkeeper non-aqueous deacidification product since 1994. Northwestern still turns to Bookkeeper as a non-aqueous deacidifying agent, but since 2008, the Preservation Department has conducted a variety of experiments on the secondary uses and side effects of Bookkeeper treatment. These small scale experiments have led to the observation of a number of intriguing phenomena and a few concrete results. Bookkeeper is a product composed of a non-toxic inert liquid (perfluoroalkane), magnesium oxide particulates, and a surfactant (a polyfluoropolyether derivative). It was developed as a non-aqueous deacidifying agent to slow the rate of paper degradation and has been proven to be quite effective in achieving that goal.