But notably, during the 1990s there was a concerted push to switch books to alkaline paper.
A lot of old printed books were done on acidic paper, causing them to more easily disintegrate. Disintegration of acidic books can mitigated by brushing alkaline powder between each page, and by keeping very low humidity.
The switch to alkaline paper substantially changes the smell, much to some readers' dismay. But be sure to look for alkaline prints, when available.
