LIBRARY DETERIORATION

LIBRARY DETERIORATION

INTRODUCTION

Deterioration refers to a loss of original quality of any library material which decreases its ability to carry out its intended function.

Deterioration may occur due to biological or chemical factors. Biological agents are major causes of deterioration of library materials.

Some of the causes of library deterioration include the following:

Cockroaches light

Silver fish

Atmospheric pollutant

Book-lice

Termites

Deathwatch

Beetles

Skin beetles

Temperature.

The materials of which library and archive collections are composed leaves birch bark, leather and adhesive used in book binding, are susceptible to two main forms of deterioration, one is biological deterioration caused by insects attack / and or fugal growth, and other forms of deterioration is caused by adverse environmental conditions, such as extremes of dampness or wide fluctuations in relative humidity associated with large variations in day and night temperatures, light and atmospheric pollutants. These two forms of deterioration are interconnected because humid conditions favour the growth of fungi and accumulations of dust and dirt will attract insects.

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Where there is condensation or moisture due to high humidity, there is always the presence of biological growths such as molds and fungi. Insect and rodents causing infestation.

Biological agents attack paper and other organic materials which both temperature and humidity are uncontrolled mold spore remains suspended in the air until they find suitable conditions for their growth if mold is observed in the collection yet environmental conditions are not altered to halt its proliferation, the mode will digest the materials on which it has begun to grow this results in the staining and deterioration of materials attacked and in rapid loss of strength of organic materials, the growth of fungi is revealed by the formation of whitish patches on book covers and documents, which later may become brownish or greenish in colour. It is a common experience to note that this mold growth occurs more readily on items made of organic materials that are tightly packed and this is due to the fact that a thin, stagnant pocket of moist air is formed which favours mold growth.

In addition to high temperature and humidity, mans negligence also favors the growth and proliferation of insects. The following manifest such negligence.

• Accumulations of dirt and dust from poor or careless housekeeping practices.
• Introduction of foodstuff to storage and exhibit areas
• Entry of insect – infested items into the collection.
• Open windows, air vents or poorly sealed windows and doors.
• Unattended roof leak and cracks in deteriorated museum building and poor ventilation.

Rodents and insect are the worst enemies of book and other organic materials that are cellulose in nature. The materials contain proteins and carbohydrates in the form of sizing, paste or starches and other organic substances attractive to insects. The nature and extent of the damage depend not only on the insect and material, but also on how promptly the infestation is discovered and controlled. Damage may vary from a few holes to complete destruction.

DETERIORATION OF PAPER CAUSED BY INSECT

The most common types of insect that attack paper object are:

Termites: Termites are small, yellowish or whitish social insects that live in wood and under the ground. They live under conditions in which humidity within the colony is maintained at a high level. In books they produce deep, crater-shaped holes or deep, irregularly shaped erosion. Sometimes this leads to almost total destruction of the volume and bring about irreparable loss or damage.

Book lice are small soft bodied insects that have relatively large heads, fairly long antennae and strong toothed mandibles. Book lice cause tiny superficial erosions of irregular outline to paper, leather, and gelatin of photographic plates, water colours, parchment, glue and gum of book bindings.

CHEMICAL FACTORS

Oxidation

Oxidized paper loses its strength and durability. Oxidation is a change (invariably for the worse) in organic and inorganic substances by their reaction with oxygen in the air we breathe.

Acid is the arch enemy of librarians because it is a direct cause for hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is a chemical product of decomposition involving splitting of a (Cellulose) bond and addition of the element of water. As times goes by acid contaminated paper loses its strength and becomes increasingly brown stained and is eventually embrittled to the extent that it cannot be handled without crumbling.

In regard to handmade paper the acid problem is not as serious as it is for the machine made product because the sizing used in it is either gelatin or starch both of which are non-acid substances lignin (an organic acid) containing wood pulp is never used for handmade paper and alpha cellulose which predominates in cotton and line fibers in the pulp used for European handmade paper is resistance to acid contamination by air pollution of pre – 19^th century books and documents all of which were made with handmade rag paper is less of a problem that for those made in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries.

CONCLUSION

The physical deterioration of library material, especially recorded word written or printed on paper is of great concern to librarians. Paper-based material has proven satisfactory for centuries of its use and will continue to be useful g into the foreseeable future in the storage and communication information. Unfortunately, most of the papers on which information has been recorded deteriorate rapidly if not cared for. Care of library materials involves protecting the materials from deterioration, decay and restoring or making good again those Library materials damaged as a result of age, use and other factors. Caring for library materials is all about making our library materials useful by preserving the materials for as long as they are wanted. Caring for library materials is firmly rooted in the idea that mankind learns from the past and that evidence of the past therefore has considerable significance to the human race and worth saving. Libraries therefore have a major responsibility to care for or preserve the recorded word. All libraries are involved in preserving materials.