STORAGE AND PRESERVATION OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION MATERIALS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Library is a repository of knowledge and a social institution saddled with the responsibility of disseminating knowledge to the people without any discrimination. Information collections are the priceless heritage of mankind as they preserve facts, ideas, thoughts, accomplishments and evidence of human development in multifarious areas, ages and directions. Preserving intellectual and cultural heritage becomes not only the academic commitment but also the moral responsibility of librarians, who are in charge since proper dissemination of library materials is only possible when the documents are in good and usable condition. Preservation of deteriorating information materials in libraries has become a global phenomenon to which libraries must aggressively respond if the mission of meeting the information needs of their patrons would be achievable in this era of dwindling budgetary allocation to libraries. Deterioration of information materials is one of the basic challenges facing library materials which are prone to wear and tear, shrinkage, cracks, brittleness, warping, bio-infestation, discoloration, abrasion, hole, dust and dirt accumulation. External causes of deterioration of collections include poor handling or storage, theft or vandalism, fire and flood, pests, pollution, light and incorrect temperature and relative humidity (Popoola, 2003; Alegbeleye, 2008; Walker, 2013). Almost all library collections are organic in nature, so they are in need of preservation and storage. Books and other materials suffer damage or deterioration because of severalgroups of factors, some inherent in the materials and others beyond the control of the library. Each type of paper material, glue, plastic that goes into the manufacturing of a book, recording or optical media has its own combination of physical and chemical properties, and a life span. The other factors include all of the conditions surrounding the processing, storage and use of the materials. The deterioration of information materials is caused by either inherent chemical instability of the materials or the external environmental factors (Akussah, 2006). To avoid these heavy loose of materials in the library, preservation and storage practices become imperative. Preservation and storage practices are focused at ensuring that significant library and archive materials, published and unpublished, in all formats are preserved in accessible form for as long as possible (IFLA-PAC China Centre, 2006). Preservation and storage is the practice of minimizing or reducing the physical and chemical deterioration of documents. Jordan (2003) describes preservation and storage as an umbrella term for an array of activities, principles, practices, and organizations that ensure the usability, longevity, and accessibility of recorded knowledge. These activities include; general collections repair, reformatting (microfilming, photocopying, and digitization), environmental monitoring and control, care and handling of materials, disaster preparedness and recovery, binding and preservation education and training. In preservation, consideration is given to every element that promotes the protection of the materials including the housing, stable environment, storage system and security against such threats as theft, mutilation, disaster preparedness such as floods, fires, tornadoes, and earthquakes and poor handling. Preservation is, therefore, a more embracing concept while storage can be described as the direct physical intervention arresting or slowing down deterioration of library materials which could be characterized as both preventive and interventive. (Ngulube, (2003) and Ogunmodede and Ebijuwa, 2013). Njeze (2012) in her study on deterioration of library materials in University libraries in south-south Nigeria found that there was high rate of deterioration in the studied universities, some of which are caused by wear and tear, dust particles, Bad shelving and biological agents. It therefore becomes imperative for a study on preservation and storage to be carried out in the above said universities to savage the situation in the midst of this dwindling budgetary allocation to libraries in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that this study investigates the preservation and storage of library materials in university libraries in South-south Nigeria

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

The deterioration of library resources in recent times is alarming. Although it has been recognized as a problem for many centuries, it is particularly acute today. The crisis has been attributed to many factors: The resources in our libraries, the form/type of these resources and the format in which these are preserved. Although universities employed librarians to organize, control and maintain information resources in the libraries, and cleaners and gardeners to mop, sweep and clean the environment, as well as security measures which were put in place in case of any emergency, the problem still persists. Hence, the increase in the vulnerability of library resources and the preservation problem it poses is the focus of this study, which will evaluate the preservation stature of library resources in University of Calabar (UNICAL) and Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH) libraries, the two universities in Cross River State. The study also investigates the preservation and storage problems encountered by these libraries and checks if these libraries are insured against disaster.

1.3 Objective of the study

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the storage and preservation of library and information materials. Specifically, the study aims to:

i. determine the preservation and storage practices in the university libraries in south-south, Nigeria;

ii. examine the causes of deterioration of library materials in university libraries in south-south, Nigeria

iii. establish the techniques used in the preservation and storage of library materials in university libraries in south-south, Nigeria

1.4 Research Questions

The following relevant research questions will be answered by the study in other to achieve the research objectives.

i. What are the preservation and storage practices in the university libraries?

ii. What are the causes of deterioration of library materials in the selected university libraries?

iii. What are the techniques used in the preservation and storage of library materials in the university libraries?

1.5 significance of the study

This study is expected to be significant to researchers and scholars, management of school libraries, users made up of students, lecturers and the school communities, librarians and library workers, State and federal government responsible for funding the school and their libraries. 

The findings of the study will be useful to researchers and scholars that are interested in preservation and security since the work will highlight strategies for enhancing library preservation and security.  It is also expected that the management of libraries will find the results of the study useful for the improvement of preservation and security of information sources in their libraries.

The findings of this study will be useful in ensuring more availability of library resources, since it will highlight strategies for effective preservation and security. If information sources are adequately protected users will have access to the information sources that they need.  This situation could also eliminate users and workers’ frustration that may result from inadequate protection of information sources. Furthermore, the findings of this study will be useful to government, schools and funding bodies to allocate adequate funds for the preservation and storage of information sources in libraries.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study seeks to evaluate the preservation and storage practices among university libraries the in the south-south, Nigeria. The libraries include all public and 10 first generation private universities in the south-south. Studying both public and private universities would give a comprehensive study of the preservation and storage practices among the universities in the south-south, Nigeria.