Environmental factors affecting Library materials

 

Environmental factors affecting Library materials should be conserved and preserved.

The library is the repository of knowledge. This institution collects, organizes,s,

and disseminates knowledge. Libraries play a great role in reforming society. The library is

an important institution that needs special attention.

People spend lots of money on the maintenance of their homes, and just like that you have to

allocate a budget annually for the upkeep of Libraries. The library resources if

damaged are irreplaceable. You won't get those materials in the market. The 

library's holdings are part of mankind's heritage.

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You have to conserve and preserve the decaying studying materials available in Libraries.

Librarians must give proper attention to the deteriorating condition of the

library. They should act on time so that more damage is avoided. They are responsible

and so they should handle it with care. The librarian should be aware of the

environmental factors affecting library materials.

Most of the Library materials are in paper form or say organic in nature, which are

susceptible to natural decay. The binding materials like a board, leather, cloth, thread, ink,

adhesive, etc are foods to some microliving organisms. So special care is required from

time to time so that it does not fall prey to these living organisms.

Causes of Deterioration of Library Materials

Changes take place at every stage at every place to any object. It may be living or non-

living things. Environmental factors affecting library materials sooner or later. You have to

know how environmental factors influence the growth of organisms. Check what things

cause the deterioration of records in libraries.

Analysis has to be done on how the deterioration is taking place in Libraries. The materials

are damaged, having shrinkage, cracks, brittleness, warping, discoloration, holes, etc. These

are easily seen in library materials. Dust and Dirt also play a great role in the

deterioration of library materials.

List of Environmental Factors

Light

Sun Light is a gift of God and necessary to human beings. Doctors say that sunlight

should reach every corner of the place where you live. But this sunlight when falls on

library materials gets damaged. It has adverse effects on the books. The Ultraviolet

radiation of light causes serious bad effects on written or printed materials.

Chemical reactions take place when the paper is exposed to sunlight. The paper becomes

brittle and easily breaks. The paper ink fades due to sunlight. The paper becomes hard

and breaks at the slightest touch. Sunlight is one of the Environmental factors affecting

library materials.

Artificial Light like LED Light or fluorescent tube light also emits large amounts of

ultraviolet rays which deteriorates the paper. The paper becomes yellowish and tanned.

This also damages the library material. So these library materials should not be placed

too close to these artificial bulbs.

The Books shelf should be arranged in such a way that the sun does not fall directly on

books. You should check the intensity of light and the duration of exposure. How long it is

exposed to the sun. That intensity and duration play a great role in deterioration. These

things are generally overlooked, but when the damage is already done, then you realize

it.

Heat

The library environment should be cool, then only materials will be protected. Heat is also

one of the Environmental factors affecting library materials. Heat is also one of the

culprits which makes the life of books very short. The binding gets damaged due to

humidity. Heat is measured in Centigrade and Fahrenheit.

High temperature and high humidity pave the way for the growth of molds. These molds

damage the materials. When the user touches that book, it tends to crumble. Heat is

generated by an electric bulb and tubes. Most of the places powerful bulbs are used in

Libraries and they generate more heat.

Lots of Environmental factors affect library materials. Heat plays a crucial role. In

summer more than 45 Degrees Celsius is measured and these variations of temperature

are bad for the library. High temperature accelerates the rate of deterioration of library

materials.

Humidity and Moisture

Humidity and Moisture are the environmental factors affecting Library materials 35%

Relative humidity is normal for the Library. Humidity is the moisture that is found in the air.

Water is absorbed by the objects, which is in the air. When there is high humidity, Library

materials absorb it.

Too much humidity makes the materials absorb more water, ultimately it makes it soggy.

This moisture weakens the fibers of the paper. These moistures weaken the bindings of

the books and they become loose. The ink and printing get spread out. The pages get

stuck together due to excess moisture.

Humidity is one of the environmental factors affecting library materials. Humidity and

moisture pave the way for the growth of fungus, which damages the library materials.

This fungus makes holes in the pages of documents.

Water

Water is one of the Environmental factors affecting library materials. When natural

calamities, leaking roofs, human negligence, etc are the reasons for water damaging the

libraries. Natural calamities mean that in some areas, floods occur every year, which enter

the library. The Library materials get damaged.

Leaking Roofs of Libraries due to defective plumbing, the pipe gets damaged and water is

spread everywhere in the library. Check-in proper time by a plumber helps in saving books

from water. Water makes the binding weak and paper hard after it gets dry.

During the rainy season, you have to be alert. You don't know when the rain will come

from the windows. So the window clamp should be well in place so that it is closed

during rain. When the books get wet during rain, fungus grows on them. Steel furniture like

a shelf gets rusted after getting wet in the rain.

Dust and Dirt

Dust is one of the environmental factors affecting Library materials. Its fine particles

present in the air ultimately get seated on library material. Dust is very bad for libraries. It is

a mixture of soil and sand. When this dust settles on documents and due to humidity,

fungus grows there.

Dust and Dirt are very hard to remove. It gets stuck on the pages due to moisture. Due to

moisture, there is a growth of fungus. These dust particles exert abrasion on the pages.

Dust and Dirt give the fungus an environment to grow on the surface of library materials.

Conclusion

Library is one of the greatest institutions which is respected everywhere. Old Libraries are a

national heritage. It has collections of ancient times which let you know about the culture

of old times. So It is high time to save the library. You have to conserve and preserve the

library materials.

You have to create methods of preservation of library materials. There are lots of

environmental factors affecting library materials. So librarians have to make policies for

the preservation of library materials. You got to know about Light, Heat, Humidity,

Moisture, Dust, Dirt, Water, etc are the environmental factors. So you have to check these

factors and handle the library with care.

Note: Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay