A 500 years vault for books?
$begingroup$
I love books,
this love brought me to gather hundreds of books of all different types. When I disappear, like all old man belongings, these will be scattered, thrown away, sold, burnt.
Let's imagine a vault with a modest technology, that could keep these books safe for the next 500 years, up to the point where it will be considered of an archeological and cultural value, so that they will form a collection.
There is a long list of items to be taken care of:
Buying the property? Avoiding looting? Make sure grand grand grand children not looking after their "gran'pa treasure"? Preserve from humidity and light, ground movements? Keeping the secrecy?
Books last for centuries in the dry areas. Shall I prefer a lost cave in an arid region? Or the cold summits of some isolated canadian mountains?
time future preservation
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I love books,
this love brought me to gather hundreds of books of all different types. When I disappear, like all old man belongings, these will be scattered, thrown away, sold, burnt.
Let's imagine a vault with a modest technology, that could keep these books safe for the next 500 years, up to the point where it will be considered of an archeological and cultural value, so that they will form a collection.
There is a long list of items to be taken care of:
Buying the property? Avoiding looting? Make sure grand grand grand children not looking after their "gran'pa treasure"? Preserve from humidity and light, ground movements? Keeping the secrecy?
Books last for centuries in the dry areas. Shall I prefer a lost cave in an arid region? Or the cold summits of some isolated canadian mountains?
time future preservation
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I love books,
this love brought me to gather hundreds of books of all different types. When I disappear, like all old man belongings, these will be scattered, thrown away, sold, burnt.
Let's imagine a vault with a modest technology, that could keep these books safe for the next 500 years, up to the point where it will be considered of an archeological and cultural value, so that they will form a collection.
There is a long list of items to be taken care of:
Buying the property? Avoiding looting? Make sure grand grand grand children not looking after their "gran'pa treasure"? Preserve from humidity and light, ground movements? Keeping the secrecy?
Books last for centuries in the dry areas. Shall I prefer a lost cave in an arid region? Or the cold summits of some isolated canadian mountains?
time future preservation
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
$endgroup$
I love books,
this love brought me to gather hundreds of books of all different types. When I disappear, like all old man belongings, these will be scattered, thrown away, sold, burnt.
Let's imagine a vault with a modest technology, that could keep these books safe for the next 500 years, up to the point where it will be considered of an archeological and cultural value, so that they will form a collection.
There is a long list of items to be taken care of:
Buying the property? Avoiding looting? Make sure grand grand grand children not looking after their "gran'pa treasure"? Preserve from humidity and light, ground movements? Keeping the secrecy?
Books last for centuries in the dry areas. Shall I prefer a lost cave in an arid region? Or the cold summits of some isolated canadian mountains?
time future preservation
time future preservation
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
asked 3 hours ago
Xavier PrudentXavier Prudent
1364
1364
1
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago
1
1
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Your biggest problem is the books themselves.
Unless the books are made of an acid free paper, they will deteriorate anyway.
See The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper
Now the next question, does anyone need to read it during the next 500 years? If nobody has to read them, you could seal them away in a nitrogen atmosphere inside sealed barrels and they should last but if they are being handled, not so much.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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votes
$begingroup$
Your biggest problem is the books themselves.
Unless the books are made of an acid free paper, they will deteriorate anyway.
See The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper
Now the next question, does anyone need to read it during the next 500 years? If nobody has to read them, you could seal them away in a nitrogen atmosphere inside sealed barrels and they should last but if they are being handled, not so much.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Your biggest problem is the books themselves.
Unless the books are made of an acid free paper, they will deteriorate anyway.
See The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper
Now the next question, does anyone need to read it during the next 500 years? If nobody has to read them, you could seal them away in a nitrogen atmosphere inside sealed barrels and they should last but if they are being handled, not so much.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Your biggest problem is the books themselves.
Unless the books are made of an acid free paper, they will deteriorate anyway.
See The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper
Now the next question, does anyone need to read it during the next 500 years? If nobody has to read them, you could seal them away in a nitrogen atmosphere inside sealed barrels and they should last but if they are being handled, not so much.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
$endgroup$
Your biggest problem is the books themselves.
Unless the books are made of an acid free paper, they will deteriorate anyway.
See The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper
Now the next question, does anyone need to read it during the next 500 years? If nobody has to read them, you could seal them away in a nitrogen atmosphere inside sealed barrels and they should last but if they are being handled, not so much.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
14.8k42044
14.8k42044
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
$begingroup$
Best way to preserve them? Put them somewhere nobody will ever read them.
$endgroup$
– Joe Bloggs
15 mins ago
add a comment |
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1
$begingroup$
Well, the Dead sea scrolls lasted for 2000 years in a cave in the desert.
$endgroup$
– pojo-guy
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
@pojo-guy that was mostly written on parchment wasn't it? I guess it would also depend on what the book was written using. Metal sheets would last much longer than paper, and a thick paper probably has a better chance of surviving than thin paper.
$endgroup$
– Shadowzee
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
chemical composition of the paper can effect its longevity also. A paper with a high acid content may not last a couple centuries.
$endgroup$
– Sonvar
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
There are copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on paper that are over over 500 years old in various institutions around the world.
$endgroup$
– Sarriesfan
6 mins ago