CHALLENGES IN PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF INFORMATION RESOURCES IN IMO STATE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

This study was on Challenges in preservation and conservation of information resources in Imo state university. Three objectives were raised which included; To determine the preservation and conservation practices existing in Imo state University library, to ascertain the extent such practices are applied in the libraries, to examine the prevailing factors necessitating in the library in adopting preservation and conservation in Imo state University and to examine the library resources where these preservation and conservation practices are applied in Imo state University. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Imo state University. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Preservation and conservation are essential library activities which when well implemented has the capability of sustaining and promoting library activities for a very long time. However, preservation is often used interchangeably with conservation, besides, there is a subtle difference between the two. Preservation suggests that natural resources will be left undisturbed, while conservation usually indicates some resource management. The process of preservation and conservation are applied to safeguard the library materials from further decay and deterioration. Preservation is the process in which all actions are taken to check and retard deterioration where as conservation includes proper diagnosis of the decayed materials, timely curative treatment and appropriate prevention from further decay. In effect, these two terms could be used inter-changeably. In other words, ‘Preservation’ and ‘Conservation’ depicts the activities which libraries use for the maintenance and sustenance of library resources and facilities which could be human or material. However, Anjaiah (2008) stresses that “the words” preservation and conservation” are often used interchangeably to mean: the process of keeping an object safe from harm or loss, damage, destruction or delay, and maintaining it in a reasonably sound condition for present and future use. He maintained that these two words are different, though interrelated and overlapping connotations. As a result of this, Harvey (1993) also explained that the terms “Preservation and “Conservation” have been used interchangeably in library literature until the last few years. He maintained that currently, conservation is the more specific term and is particularly used in relation to specific objectives while “preservation” is a broader concept covering conservation as well as actions relating to protection between “Preservation and “Conservation”. He explained that preservation applies to various strategies for preserving the intellectual content” while “Conservation” is primarily concerned with ensuring that the original artifact is maintained and secure”. Similarly, the New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary (1996) also stressed that to conserve, defend, guard, keep, maintain, sustain among others are synonyms for preservation”

By definition therefore, preservation of library activities has been defined as the totality of the steps necessary to ensure the permanent accessibility of a particular material forever. Suman (2008) defined preservation as the transfer of information to another medium, such as microfilm and electronic materials. However, the new international Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary (1996) defined “preservation” as “a noun for the word preserve which means to keep in safety or to keep from destruction. Similarly, Wikipedia (2009) defined “preservation” as the branch of library and information science concerned with maintaining or restoring access to artifacts documents, different from conservation which refers to the treatment and repair of individual items to show decay or restore them to useable state. In the same view, Harrods librarian glossary also defined “preservation” as the managerial and financial considerations including storage, techniques and methods involved in preserving library and achieve materials and the information contained in them”. Ogbodo (2004) also stressed that “preservation” involves all the measures taken to guarantee the safety of prints and nonprint materials in the libraries. Similar, Ania (2007) explain that “preservation is a means of takingcare of library materials to avoid deterioration. Okonkwo (2009) was not left out as he also defined “preservation” as “the totality of measures for maintaining the integrity of document and the information contained in them which includes all the managerial and financial considerations, storage and accommodation provisions, staffing level policies, techniques and methods involved in safe guarding documentary materials.

On the other hand, “conservation is also seen as an occurrence of improvement by virtue of preventing loss or injury or other change. Similarly, Popoola (2003) defined conservation as policies xiii and operations embarked upon by the managers of libraries and with the aim of increasing the life span of their information resources by preventing damage or remedying deterioration. He further explained that it may also be seen as direct physical intervention arresting or showing down deterioration of library resources. However, Harrison (1992) stressed that conservation is about good house-keeping, learning how to handle and store resources to do the least damage, not subjecting it to unnecessarilyheavy use and ensuring that back-up or safety copies exist. Therefore, conservation is a preventive but active measure, for doing something to the material, not putting it in the wrong environment, not handling or touching the surface or running material through faulty equipment which will scratch and damage it.

University library generally, according to Edoka (2000) are those libraries attached to universities to support teaching, learning and research. Similar to this, Aguotu (1989) also said that university library like any other forms of establishment is designed and run by people whose job is to combine and use organizational resources to achieve organizational objectives. The university library is the central point of all academic activities in the university. The main objective of the university library is to assist the institution in which it is established to achieve excellence in teaching, research and extension work. In support of this view, Abdulkadir (1996) and Ifidon (1997) stressed that the central focus of any educational institution (including the university), is its library because it is where students and staff resort for academic nourishment. Further more, Agu (2006) stated that libraries vary from one university to another. He then explain that the characteristic functions of university library are both academic and administrative, and geared towards the achievement of the educational objectives set by the institution. Azino (2006) also stress that the role of the university library is to ensure that the parent universities intellectual out put is preserved and accessible for use. He further stressed that the university library should support the university to promote teaching, learning and research

Statement of the problem

The library materials which are unique in nature because of the information they contain deserve to have the maximum preservation and conservation practice in order to retain the information they contain for a very long period of time. University libraries in developing countries such as Nigeria, there is a dearth of valuable publication because most of these library materials are not properly protected in these libraries. Despite that these libraries struggled and suffered to acquire these library resources which are not easy to be replaced when they are lost are not properly preserved and conserved yet, the information contained in these library resources can serve library users for decades of years. Besides, these resources are the major sources of reference and consultation to all who are in need of one information or the other yet, these resources lack proper preservation and conservation polices in these libraries. xviii It has been observed that in these university libraries, that these library resources are always very dirt and dusty. Some of these library resources have lost their back cover and as a result of this, they are just floating in the shelves as they can no longer be identified with their area of specialization. The spine of some of these resources has been pulled out as a result of rough handling of these resources. It has also been observed that some of these resources have no hard-cover, they are not laminated and there is no provision for duplicate copies for these resource. Sometimes, the pages of these resources will be incomplete as a result of constant and frequently used by the users and as a result of this, the information contained in them will also be lost. In support of this Olumsola (1987) and Onadiran (1988) reported that books in university libraries are preferred at an alarming rate. However, in spite of many benefits derived from effective preservation and conservation in federal university libraries, the tendency is that these libraries will face the risk of losing the intellectual contents as well as cultural heritage and other sources of information available with these libraries. This is because there is a little or no preservation and conservation policy in of Imo state in Nigeria. As a result of this, the conditions of these library materials in these university libraries in Imo state University are nothing to write home about. Presently, the current situation of library resources in federal university libraries as with regard to preservation and conservation of library resources is not known and this is why this study is important and needs to be investigated.

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

1. To determine the preservation and conservation practices existing in Imo state University library.
2. To ascertain the extent such practices are applied in the libraries.
3. To examine the prevailing factors necessitating in the library in adopting preservation and conservation in Imo state University.
4. To examine the library resources where these preservation and conservation practices are applied in Imo state University

Research hypotheses

The following research hypotheses were formulated;

H0: there is no preservation and conservation practices existing in Imo state University library

H1: there is preservation and conservation practices existing in Imo state University library

H0: there is no prevailing factors necessitating in the library in adopting preservation and conservation in Imo state University

H2: there is prevailing factors necessitating in the library in adopting preservation and conservation in Imo state University

Significance of the study

The findings of the study are of immense benefit to the following: Library administrators, the staff in Binding section as well as other researchers. The findings of the study are expected to be of interest to the university or college librarian by ensuring that they understand the true state of the library materials as they will see that they share duties properly to each sections of the library and see that they monitor and punish the defaulters accordingly. The findings of this study are expected to be beneficial to the heads of different units in the library as it will help to reveal to the state of preservation and conservation methods that will enable them to improve on saving the library materials from destruction

Moreover, the information generated by the study will be of help to the binding section as they will enable them to understand the need to bind library materials as soon as they arrive to the library before sending them to their various shelves in order to give longevity to the materials. Moreso, the information generated by the study will be of help to institutions and organizations as it will provide a framework for the preservation and conservation programme in their libraries.

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers Challenges in preservation and conservation of information resources in Imo state university

The researcher encounters some constraints which limit the scope of the study namely:

The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.8 Definition of terms

Preservation: the state of being preserved, especially to a specified degree.

Conservation:  planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect water conservation wildlife conservation

Information resources: Information resources are defined as the data and information used by an organization. Examples of information resources are databases with customer purchase information. Learn more in: Role of Public Libraries in Building Knowledge Society.

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