The process of restoring water-damaged books can be complicated, time-consuming, and costly, so it is no wonder that institutions such as museums, libraries, and schools are constantly looking for new and effective ways to prevent water damage as well as plans of action if such damage does occur. Rare book rooms are common in most major libraries and bookstores in the country, and some museums and organizations are home to the most valuable, important pieces of literary history. The American Bible Society’s Rare Book Collection contains the first edition of the King James Bible, the Rare Book & Special Collections division of the Library of Congress houses hundreds of first-edition books from throughout American history, and even most colleges and universities have very important rare book collections. When these collections are damaged by water or mold, the institutions that house them not only face a significant financial loss, the world loses a vital part of its history as well.
