[tablespoon]

> I also assume that preservation of books will be a priority for at least some people even in near-apocalyptic circumstances, and that material conditions would improve markedly after only a few years.

I agree, but "in in near-apocalyptic circumstances" they'll only preserve the stuff they value or find useful. I don't think redundant, low-print volume academic specialist works will fall into those categories. Unless there's enough surplus that the university continues to function as such, those books (along with dissertations, most academic papers and archives) will rot on the shelves.

In the aftermath of a full-on nuclear war, I'd expect the English-speaking word would experience huge, unrecoverable losses in areas beyond the undergrad level. Advanced work that's famous and highly-cited enough to be in a South American or African university probably would be an exception, though.