A report is given on a research project commissioned by the British Library to strengthen brittle paper without dis-binding the books. The method is to impregnate them with monomer acrylics which are polymerized by irradiation. By including an amine substituted alkyl methacrylate into the treatment, a one-step deacidification-strengthening process can be achieved. The continuing research project will also investigate the possibility of graft co-polymerization.