Abstract: This position paper summarizes the current knowledge about arsenic-containing pigments in historic library holdings and provides recommendations for the handling of such documents based on risk assessment. A short history of arsenic-containing pigments and basic data on the daily uptake of arsenic through food, drinking water and air is followed by a comprehensive description of methods and measures for the detection of an external and/or internal workplace exposition to arsenic. Human Biomonitoring of arsenic or arsenic species in urine is considered essential for the detection of a potentially existing health risk whereas material analyses do not provide such information. Measures such as an efficient, regular, cleaning of rooms, bookshelves and objects to reduce dust and strict adherence to basic rules of hygiene, e.g. handwashing and an eating and drinking ban during use, will protect the historic library holdings as well as the users and allow, from a health protection aspect, a careful and responsible management of books involving arsenic-containing pigments.