Preservation of National Library treasures

The Malta Historical Society has been following with great interest the correspondence regarding the restoration of hundreds of precious books at the National Library and, in particular, The Times, editorial of June 8.

The society wishes to emphasise that the "national disgrace" covers the preservation of the library treasures even more than the restoration of damage already caused. The disastrous damage to those treasures is ongoing for the simple reason that no cleaning whatsoever has been carried out on the books in the library for various decades.

A very large percentage of the books, including the Melitensia collection, is never consulted by researchers and/or readers, with the obvious result that they offer a rich repast to the deadly bookworm.

If the government is not prepared to find an appropriate remedy without delay, it should at least install an air-conditioner in the room which houses the Melitensia collection to keep it at a constant temperature day and night throughout the year to forestall further damage, ever keeping in mind that the books already infected have to be treated separately in any case. Quod est in votis!