The history of the W.J. Barrow Research Laboratory and its activities and accomplishments are described. The importance of permanent and durable paper to librarians, archivists, and conservators is emphasized. Causes of the deterioration of paper, and presently available methods of restoring and preserving deteriorated paper, are described. Methods of predicting the useful life of paper and the research at the Barrow Laboratories in several fields related to preservation of paper are discussed.