LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorate

SpecificationNumber10011109
SpecificationsforBondPaperSheets
FortheStorageofArtifacts
ThisspecificationisprovidedasapublicservicebythePreservationDirectorateoftheLibraryof
Congress.Anycommercialreproductionthatimpliesendorsementofaproduct,service,or
materials,inanypublication,isstrictlyprohibitedbylaw.ThisSpecificationiswrittenforL.C.
purchasingpurposesandissubjecttochangewhennecessary.Ifyouarereadingapapercopyof
thisspecificationpleasecheckourwebsiteforthemostuptodateversion.

1.CompositionandChemicalRequirements
1.1Fiber
Thestockmustbemadefromragorotherhighalphacellulosecontentpulp,minimumof87%,as
definedinISO18902.Itmustnotcontainanypostconsumerwasterecycledpulp.
1.2Lignin
Thestockmustgiveanegativereadingforligninasdeterminedbythephloroglucinoltestwhen
testedaccordingtoASTMD1030,X5spotstains,andshallhaveaKappanumberof5orlesswhen
testedaccordingtoTAPPIT236.
1.3Impurities
Thestockmustbefreeofmetalparticles,waxes,plasticizers,residualbleach,peroxide,sulfur
(whichwillbelessthan0.0008%reduciblesulfurasdeterminedbyTAPPIT406),andother
componentsthatcouldleadtothedegradationofthepapersheetitself,ortheartifactsstored
therein.
1.4MetallicImpurities
Ironmustnotexceed150ppmandcoppershallnotexceed6ppmwhentestedaccordingtoTAPPI
T266.
1.5OpticalBrighteners
Thestockmustbefreeofopticalbrighteningagents.
1.6pH
ThestockmusthaveapHvaluewithinarangeof8.09.5asdeterminedbyTAPPIT509,cold
extraction(modifiedbyslurryingsamplepulpbeforemeasurement).
1.7AlkalineReserve
Thestockmustcontainanalkalinereservewithaminimumof2%andamaximumof5%
calculatedasCaCO 3whentestedaccordingtoTAPPIT553(modifiedbyslurryingsamplepulp
beforemeasurement).
LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorateSpecification10011109.
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1.8Sizing
Onlyneutraloralkalinesizingshallbeused.Noalumrosinorrosinsizingshouldbeused,as
determinedbyTAPPIT408.

2.PhysicalandPerformanceRequirements
2.1BasisWeight
Thebasisweightshouldbe20lbsper1298.6ft,(perream),tradesizeofreamasdefinedfor
WritingandPrintingpaperinTAPPIT410.
2.2Color
Thecolorofthestockshouldbewhite,offwhite,orasspecifiedonthepurchaseorder.
2.3ColorBleeding
Thecolormustshownobleedingwhensoakedindistilledwaterfor48hourswhileheldunder
suitableweightincontactwithwhitebondpaper.Thecolormustnotruboff.
2.4ColorRetention
Thecolorofthestockmustnotchangemorethan5pointsofbrightnessasmeasuredbydirectional
reflectanceat457nm(TAPPIT452),whenexposed24hourstoaXenonarclampinanAtlas
Weatherometerunderthefollowingconditions:IrradianceLevel:1.0watts/mat420nm.Inner
filter:Borosilicateglass.Outerfilter:clearsodalimeglass.Blackpaneltemperature:50C.Wet
bulbdepression:8.5C.
2.5PhotographicActivityTest
ThestockmustpassthePhotographicActivityTest(P.A.T.),meetingthecriteriastipulatedin
sections5.3,6.3,and7.2ofISO18916.Vendorsmaywishtoconfirmthattheirproductspassthe
P.A.T.beforesubmittingthemtotheLibraryofCongressforevaluation.Thevendormaywishto
sendsamplestotheImagePermanenceInstitute(RochesterInstituteofTechnology/IPI,70Lomb
MemorialDrive,Rochester,NY146235604;Tel:5854755199),orothertestinglaboratory,to
determineconformancepriortosubmission.
2.6Surfaces
Thesurfacesofthestockmustbefreeoffingerprints,dirt,bubbles,knots,shivesandother
imperfections.
2.7CreasesandFolds
Thestockmustnotfray,crackorsplitwhenfoldedand/orcreased.
2.8FoldingEndurance
Thestockmustmeettheminimumrequirementof75doublefoldsforfoldenduranceinthe
machinedirection.TestswillbeconductedaccordingtoTAPPIT511,afterconditioningaccording
toTAPPIT402,usinga1kgload.

LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorateSpecification10011109.
www.loc.gov/preservation/specs/

3.ProductRequirements
3.1Construction
Sheetsshouldbestraightcutwith90degreecorners.(Illustrationbelow)

Example:letterandlegalsizesheets
3.2Workmanship
Edgesmustbecutsquareandclean,andsizesaccurate.
3.3Dimensions
Dimensionswillbespecifiedonthepurchaseorder.Theallowabletoleranceforeachdimensionis
1/16inch.
3.4Marking
Eachsheetshouldcontainawatermarkthatidentifiesthepaperorpapermaker.

4.PackagingandIdentification
4.1InnerPackages
Eachpackagemustplainlyidentifythetype,sizeandnumberofitemswithin,thenameofthe
supplierormanufacturer,yearofmanufacture,andmanufacturingrunorbatchnumber.
4.2OuterPackage
Theitemsmustbepackedinstandardcommercialcontainersthatareconstructedtoensurethat
theyarriveattheLibraryofCongressindry,undamagedcondition.Theoutsideofeachcontainer
mustbeidentifiedbytype,sizeandnumberofitemswithin;manufacturingrunorbatchnumber;
LCPurchaseOrder/Contractnumberandlinenumber.

5.CompliancewithSpecification
5.1QualityAssuranceTesting
TheLibraryofCongresshastherighttoperformanyofthetestssetforthinthespecification
wheresuchtestsaredeemednecessarytoensurethatsuppliesconformtoprescribed
requirements.

LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorateSpecification10011109.
www.loc.gov/preservation/specs/

5.2Sampling
Tosamplefortesting,shipmentswillbesampledaccordingtoANSI/ASQZ1.4,inspectionlevelS
2,AQL2.5%.
5.3Methods
TestswillbeconductedinaccordancewithspecifiedtestmethodsoftheAmericanNational
StandardsInstitute(ANSI),theAmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials(ASTM),theTechnical
AssociationofthePulpandPaperIndustry(TAPPI),andtheInternationalOrganizationfor
Standardization(ISO).Publicationsdescribingthesetestsmaybeordereddirectlyfromthe
technicalassociations,theirwebsites,orotheronlinestandardsvendors.
5.4Acceptance
MaterialswillbeacceptedwhentheLibraryofCongresshasascertainedthattheproductscomply
withallpartsofthespecification.Aquickreferencetableofthephysicalandchemical
requirementsandtestmethodsusedtoascertaincomplianceisprovidedinsection5.5.

FAILURETOMEETANYPARTOFTHESPECIFICATIONWILLBECAUSEFORREJECTION

5.5TableofPhysicalandChemicalRequirementsandTestMethods

Property

Requirement

TestMethod

Lignin

Negative/Kappa5

ASTMD1030,X5orTAPPI
236

ReducibleSulfur

<0.0008%

TAPPIT406

Iron

150ppm

TAPPIT266

Copper

6ppm

TAPPIT266

pH

8.09.5

TAPPIT509,coldextraction,
slurriedpulp

AlkalineReserve

25%

TAPPIT553,slurriedpulp

AlumRosinSizing

Negative

TAPPIT408

P.A.T.

Pass

ISO18916

BasisWeight

20lbs/1298.6ft

TAPPIT410

FoldingEndurance

75MD

TAPPIT511

ColorBleeding

Nobleedin48hours

Seesection2.3

ColorRetention

5pts

TAPPIT452

LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorateSpecification10011109.
www.loc.gov/preservation/specs/

ConfigurationManagement

Date

RevisionHistory

19Jun2002

Initialreleaseofdocumentonwebsite,htmlformat.

14Dec2009

RevisedandreformattedforreleaseasPDFdocument.

LibraryofCongressPreservationDirectorateSpecification10011109.
www.loc.gov/preservation/specs/