MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Some of the beautifully bound Victorian-era books in the Special Collections at Middle Tennessee State University’s James E. Walker Library may hide a dangerous secret.
Around 1,200 of these elegantly crafted books from the 1800s — once prized for their vivid colors — could contain pigments made with toxic compounds and heavy metals, explained Special Collections librarian Susan Martin.
“A good portion of our collection — about 14% — are 19th-century books,” explained Martin, who heads up the library’s repository for rare, unique and fragile materials…