Deterioration of Library Materials in Nigeria: Causes and Remedies for Librarians
Keywords:
books shelves, librarianship, library materials, DeteriorationAbstract
It is true that deterioration is as old as librarianship. It is also no longer news
that as soon as an item is manufactured it also starts to depreciate so also
printing materials. If this concept is known should librarians fold their arms
watching their valuables destroyed? This paper takes a cursory look at causes
of deterioration of library materials. It also discusses the concepts of deterioration
to the library, librarianship and librarians. The paper argues that some of the
causes include lack of environmental sanitation of library surroundings, lack of
trained preservators, faulty storage and book arrangement on the shelves, the
library illumination etc. The paper calls for collective responsibilities in order
to rescue the library materials by abiding with library hygiene, the use of air
conditioners to control reading room temperature, good ventilation, the use of
right insecticides and the use of incandescent light that is least destructive.
Window blinds and plastic coatings can be used to control direct sunlight.
Training of the staff on books shelving is also advocated .Upon the whole the
paper says "prevention is better than cure" Deterioration can be reduced to the
barest minimum if it is nipped in the bud before it becomes uncontrollable.
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