PRESERVATION POLICY: THE VARIOUS TYPES OF STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANS INVOLVED IN LIBRARY PRESERVATION POLICIES.

Preservation has become an essential part of human life that cuts across various fields and spheres of human endeavor. Preservation is simply put as the act of maintaining the value of an object to prolong the lifespan of that object. Objects such as bags, books, electronics, and cloths and so on, whether big or small in size are meant to be handled or used when needed. However, continuous handling and use of these objects will eventually lead to wear and tear, because each time they are used they depreciate. A continuous depreciation of the value of an object will lead to deterioration, damage and eventual destruction of that object. Preservation therefore is vital to every object used by humans. Humans cannot stop the depreciation of an object but they are can reduce the rate of depreciation and prolong the lifespan of any object used. Preservation can therefore, be seen as an effort to reduce the depreciation of an object and ultimately prolong the lifespan of that object. To preserve therefore, certain techniques will be carried out and measures will be taken at intervals to ensure the prolonged life of an object. Common preservation techniques can include cleaning, washing, applying gum, repairing and so on. Objects such as textbooks, serials and other materials in the library therefore require preservation per time. The library is expected to provide access to information materials when needed by patrons; this is the major reason for its existence. Provision of access to information materials means the materials will be handled usually without close supervision in the library or at home when the material is borrowed. Library materials especially in Africa are mostly in paper form. Although an increasing quantity of information is captured at its source in electronic format, a significant percentage of Africas library and archival documents exists solely in paper form (Katundu 200; Ngulube 2002). Documents in electronic formats are usually printed for easier accessibility, use and distribution. The use of the information material by patrons will eventually lead to weakening, folding and detachment of parts of the material. Information materials are used in the library or borrowed by different individuals who handle the material differently; some carefully and other carelessly. Humans are not the only factors of deterioration. Environmental factors such as sunlight, moisture, light, and dust; chemical factors such as carbon monoxide, acid, sulphur and other gases all of which the materials might come in contact with during the course of its use will cause deterioration of the material.

Acquisition of library materials without proper allocation of resources to address their future deterioration, no training of staff on preservation and conservation techniques, lack of recognition and negligence of the need for preservation of library materials are also major problems apart from the factors above responsible for deterioration of library materials and emphasizing the needs for preservation policy in the library. Preservation and conservation of library materials have remained one of the major challenges facing African libraries today (Popoola, 2003). It is therefore very vital that libraries devise procedures and policies that will guide the preservation of library materials used by patrons. The policy can be known as preservation policy. A policy can be defined as a course of action adopted by organizations, individuals or businesses for a particular situation or circumstance. A policy therefore, is already laid down for future occurrences and will be referred to for guidance especially by individuals who werent there when the policy was established. The preservation policy therefore, is a course of action laid down by a library for preservation of its information materials; the policy is expected to be followed by staff of the library. Preservation policies vary from library to library depending on size of the library, amount of collection possessed, and frequency of use of library materials and so on. Policy clauses in a model for digital preservation policy given by Charles Beagrie Limited, 2008 show the following: -Principle statement: Addresses how digital preservation policy can serve the needs of the library and the benefits it will bring. -Contextual Links: Highlights how the policy integrates into the organization and how it relates to other high level policies and strategies. -Preservation objectives: Information about preservation objectives and how they will be supported. -Identification of content: Outline what the policys overall scope is in terms of content and its relationship to collection development aims.

-Procedural Accountability: Identify high level responsibilities for the policy and provide recognition of the most important recognition of the most important obligations faced in preserving key institutional resources. -Guidance and implementation: How to implement the preservation policy and/or identification of where additional guidance and procedures are available in separate documentation or from staff -Glossary: List of definitions, if required. -Version control: History and bibliographic details of the version. Add date of the policy, intended duration and review process. The model was used for digital preservation policy but can also be adopted by libraries in the preservation of print materials.

Information materials in digital is seen as the future of library materials in the library, as they revolutionized the way libraries acquire, process, organize and disseminate information materials. Digital materials from the preservation perspective are much easier than the paper form due its virtual format. Digital materials are usually in e-formats making just readable but not handled physically. Technology used in the storage of digital materials become obsolete after a period of time and will have to be replaced with new technology. An operational plan used by libraries is to copy digital materials in obsolete formats and convert them into new ones. Technological preservation is also a strategy turn operational plan used in the library; technologies used for the storage of information materials such as computers will be updated frequently with hardware and software changes that will support the use of better digital formats. Libraries also operationally ban the use of flash drives and outside devices on the computer system to avoid the transfer of computer virus which will destroy files on the libraries computer system. Backup of files and e-materials is also another strategy used by libraries for the preservation of digital materials; hard drives, CD-ROM, and others are used to store the exact copy of e-materials in cases of unforeseen occurrences. According to Lee et al (2002), the preservation of digital materials in the library

involves technology preservation, preservation emulation, information migration and encapsulation. Library materials in paper form unlike digital materials are prone to greater risks of deterioration due to continuous handling. Preventive plans can be implemented by libraries for print materials like books to slow the rate of deterioration which will be done during processing immediately acquisition; use of book jacket covers, paperback reinforcement and pamphlet bindings. Operational procedures for policies in preservation of paper materials may include: -Identification of materials with minor damage such as loose parts and covers by circulation staff either weekly or monthly depending on level of use. This makes easier to repair materials. -In cases of damaged books, they should be sorted to categories having the same damage characteristics. This helps to reduce the cost implication of repairs. -Training of staff and updating knowledge on repair techniques periodically. -Supervision of repair procedures to ensure the work is properly done. In addition to this, some techniques used for preservation of print and non-print materials include: -Lamination: The use of lamination machines for vital documents will reduce the rate of deterioration through the thick plastic covering the original paper provided by the laminating machine. -Microfilming: Microfilms are used for compressing large files and storing them in micro form. Microfilms can only be read with the use of special machines designed by it. Microfilms not only conserve space as large volumes of books can be kept in a single microform, it is great tool for preserving large materials. -Binding: Binding is a preservation techniques usually used for books. Binding of books involves the provision hard covers and repair of spine to damaged books. Books can be brought back to life just through binding; loose pages and the overall strength of the book will be renewed.

-Photocopying: Photocopying of worn out original copies of documents is another great preservation technique. Photocopies can be made over and over again not only preservation but also distribution. -Cleaning and dusting of library materials: Perhaps the most popular preservation technique used in the library. Although, it sounds sound simple, cleaning and dusting of library is a vital technique; dust is one of the environmental factors causing deterioration of materials. -Installing of air conditioners: Air conditioners also play a major part not only in preservation but also in conservation of library materials. The use of air conditioners can prevent chemical deterioration factors such as oxides of carbon, rosin and cellulose and also help maintain the appropriate temperatures to avoid humidity and damp heat. Other includes provision of adequate security to avoid theft, application of insecticides and fumigation. The collection development cycle the library goes through regularly to keep it relevant is vital to its existence and preservation is key to collection development. The information needs of patrons are met not only by newly printed books; books published years ago are also relevant for referential and evidential reasons. Preservation is therefore key to accomplishment of the librarys major objective: provision of information materials to satisfy information needs.

References Katundu, D. R. M. (2001). Preservation challenges for Africas information systems: the case of electronic records. Information Development 17(3)179-182. Lee K., Slattery, O., Lu, R., Tang, X., & McCarry, V. (2002). The State of the Art and Digital Preservation. The Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 107(1). Retrieved June 25, 2007 from: http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jrest/107/1/j71/lee.pdf Ngulube, P. (2002). Preservation reformatting strategies in Selected Sub Saharan archival institutions. African Journal of Library, Archival and Information Science 12(2) 117-132. Olatokun, W. M. (2008). A survey of preservation and conservation practices and techniques in Nigerian university libraries. Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal. 18(2) 1-18. Popoola, S. O. (2003). Preservation and Conservation of Information Resources. University of Ibadan Nigeria: Distance Learning Centre.