Introduction
Out of an abundance of caution, and in light of recent research showing the probable presence of heavy metals, the University of Illinois Library is advising all staff and patrons to use caution when handling library materials.
Current research has primarily focused on pigments used in 19th Century publisher bindings, and evidence has shown these items are likely to contain heavy metals including arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium. Newly emerging data indicates that some heavy metals are likely present in other library books, including those from outside this time period, as well as materials that have been rebound in new covers. The extent and degree of the presence of heavy metals in these items is still being determined.
Until we know more about which metals may be present in which books, and whether these metals are likely to transfer to the skin during handling, we encourage all patrons and staff to use caution when handling library materials.
Handling Guidelines
Preliminary research indicates the heavy metals may be transferred to the skin during handling and could then pose a risk of ingestion if transferred to the mouth or eyes. The Library, in consultation with the Division of Research Safety and Employee Safety and Health, has developed guidelines for library patrons and staff.
When handling library materials, please:
- Wash hands with soap and water immediately after use
- Do no eat, drink, or smoke
- Do not rub your eyes, nose, or touch your face
- Exercise caution to reduce the risk of children or pets chewing on, or handling, library materials
If you have additional questions, please contact Preservation Services via ui-lib-heavymetal @mx.uillinois.edu.
Research at the University of Illinois
Current research in Preservation Services focuses on monographs with original pigments published between 1800-1899, as this subset is likely to have a high concentration of items that contain heavy metals.
Preservation Services, in consultation with an expert from the Materials Research Laboratory, is currently performing XRF analysis to identify which items contain arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and/or mercury.
The Library will continue to partner with campus units such as the Division of Research Safety and Employee Safety and Health to use this research, and other newly developing scholarship in this area, to shape safer handling guidelines and procedures to protect library staff and patrons.
Future Research Questions
To what extent are other materials likely to contain heavy metals? This will include additional analysis of books outside the subset, including serials, leather bindings, and items published after 1900.
Which heavy metals transfer during handling, and in what quantity? The Library is currently pursuing grant funding and additional campus partnerships to further investigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Research is currently ongoing. The Library’s Preservation Services unit is currently working with safety experts on campus to evaluate the scope of the risk within our various library locations on campus, and will use that information to plan and implement safety precautions to protect our staff and patrons.
Based on preliminary research, we believe the greatest hazard is possible ingestion via transfer from skin to mouth, eyes, or nose. Wash your hands with soap and water. Do not rub your eyes, nose, or touch your face while handling materials. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling materials.
Many library materials have been digitized, and we encourage patrons to utilize digital versions whenever possible. Those who handle library materials may choose to wear nitrile gloves. Patrons browsing the stacks may pick up gloves at the circulation desk, and library staff may request them through their unit.
For a quick tutorial on recommended glove removal technique, please watch the brief video, Disposable Glove Removal Instructions, created by the University of Illinois Division of Research Safety.
If you need a portion of an item found in the Library Catalog, such as a book chapter or journal article, University of Illinois students, faculty, and staff may submit a request through the Library’s Doc Express service.
The Library also offers in-house digitization of library materials in the public domain (as of 2024, items published before 1929). If an item from the Library’s circulating collections is not available digitally, please use the Public Domain Digitization Request Form to request digitization. Digital Reformatting staff will assess the condition of the item to determine whether it can be scanned. If requesting digitization for more than 10 items, please contact the Digital Reformatting unit digibb@library.illinois.edu.
The Poison Book Project, a research initiative at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library and the University of Delaware, focuses on identifying potentially toxic elements used in Victorian-era publishers’ bindings. They maintain an Arsenical Books Database of items that contain a known arsenical green component, and provide some information about other pigments and heavy metals used in 19th Century books.
Publisher cloth bindings from the 19th Century are often noted for their embossed decoration and stamping, but can also be relatively plain. The cloth used in these covers is colored with a wide variety of pigments or combinations of pigments as well as fillers such as starch to stiffen the cloth and make it impermeable to glues. Original covers can be semi-gloss or matte, are often blind or gold stamped, and may include decorative illustrations in one or more colors. Volumes may also include decorative colored end pages and edge decoration. An example, below, is the Tallis’s history and description of the Crystal Palace, and the Exhibition of the world’s industry in 1851 (image courtesy Winterthur Museum).
For other examples of Nineteenth Century publisher cloth bindings, see
- Cloth, gold, ink, and style, National Library of New Zealand
- Bound to Please: American Cloth Bookbindings, 1830–1910, Rare Book School
- Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Art of the Publishers’ Binding, Miami University Library
- Judging a Book by Its Cover: Gold-Stamped Publishers’ Bindings of the 19th Century, Columbia University Libraries
- Email: hmurphy@illinois.edu
- Phone: 217-333-3758