The newspaper Slovenec in Slovenian libraries:possibilities of conservation-restoration treatment and reproduction

The purpose of the research was to gain an overview of the holdings of Slovenec in Slovenian libraries and to state the uniqueness of its original binding kept by the library of the Institute of Contemporary History in Ljubljana (hereafter referred to as the INZ). The article treats the question whether it is reasonable to conserve and restore the newspaper collection or to convert the microfilm version into digital form.The daily newspaper Slovenec was published in Ljubljana between the years 1873 and 1945 and between 1991 and 1996. It is considered to be an important part of Slovenian national and cultural heritage. The research encompasses only copies published between the years 1873 and 1945. The results are presented in two parts. The first part focuses on the condition of the newspaper collection in Slovenian libraries, whereas the second part focuses on copies kept by INZ. The article brings data on their number and condition, major damages and storage, as well as on their use and accessibility.Detailed description of the newspaper condition includes only copies kept by INZ.The research proved that only two collections are complete (one kept by the National and University Library in Ljubljana and the other one kept by INZ) and that the collection kept by INZ is unique. It was also established that a great deal of copies kept by individual libraries are damaged, however it is possible to digitize them. Damages are mostly due to heavy use, unsuitable storage conditions and poor quality of the materials. That is why paper edition should be appropriately preserved and conserved consequently the newspaper should be available in a more user-friendly form.