Paper splitting is a method of preserving brittle papers often found in library

Library

In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

 and archival

Archive

An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...

 materials. In this process the front and back of a sheet of paper are split apart. A piece of acid-free paper

Acid-free paper

Acid-free paper is paper that has a neutral or basic pH . It can be made from any cellulose fiber as long as the active acid pulp is eliminated during processing. It is also lignin and sulfur free...

is placed between these two sides of an acidic sheet before the pages are reconnected. The intention is to reduce the acid deterioration in the paper. A paper-splitting machine has been developed, but is not in wide use.

Further reading

• 1 A discussion of the Folger Shakespeare Library's use of paper-slitting in conservation: http://www.folger.edu/Content/About-Us/Conservation-Lab/Treatment-Examples/Paper-Splitting-and-the-Trevelyon-Manuscript.cfm
• 2 The Library of Congress on paper-splitting: http://www.loc.gov/preserv/rt/projects/paper_split.html