Volume 13, Number 2
May 1989

Authors and Publishers Pledge to Use Acid- Free Paper

There was a "Commitment Day" ceremony at the New York Public Library on March 7, honoring the 46 authors and 40 publishers who had signed the prominently-displayed "Declaration of Book Preservation." Like the Declaration of Independence, it was large, attractively calligraphed, and followed by a number of signatures. The big-city press was there in force, taking pictures and crowding around to ask the famous authors questions after the speakers had stepped down. Later their stories appeared in major publications, e.g. Newsweek for March 20, on p. 80. The New York Times for March 16 carried a full-page replica of the Declaration and all the signatures.

The text reads as follows:

"We, the undersigned authors and publishers, hereby declare our commitment to use acid-free paper [in footnote: subject to availability] for all first printings of quality hardcover trade books in order to preserve the printed word and safeguard our cultural heritage for future generations."

Among the authors are Isaac Asimov, Joan Didion, Allen Ginsberg, Barbara Goldsmith (whose idea this was in the first place, and who rounded up the publishers), George Plimpton, William Safire, Maurice Sendak, Susan Sontag, Tom Wolfe and Kurt Vonnegut. The complete list of publishers is given below, as of March 7. It is still growing.