Preventive measures for Environmental factors

Preventive Measures for Environmental Factors are a very important issue for librarianship.

The librarian should appoint somebody to look after the maintenance of the

library. He should visit every section of the library and inspect the cleaning process.

Verbal assurance of the staff is often misleading.

So the Librarian should take time and see whether everything is according to his

expectations. It is the Librarian's responsibility to safeguard the library resources from

being damaged. Timely preventative measures should be taken for the

preservation of Library Resources.

Preservation is a normal process and it is done on a weekly or monthly basis. Whereas

the Conservation process includes diagnosis and special treatment to the damaged

material. This treatment is curative and stops further decaying of that material.

Aspects of Preservation

Preventive Measures for environmental factors mean that there is action taken to

identify any library materials being damaged. It also means that library materials should

be kept in proper condition. For this, some basic methods have to be applied like good

caretaking, dusting, and supervision. The librarian should take challenges of preservation.

Curative Measures mean direct treatment of the damaged library materials so that the life of

those materials is increased. It includes a special treatment that is required. This

treatment is on an individual basis.

Preventive Measures for Environmental Factors

Well Planned Building

Firstly you have to see whether the site chosen for the construction of the library, is good or not. For

that, you have to see the soil. If you find termites or white ants in that soil, then it is sure

that they will enter your library someday and damage your library materials and furniture.

Ventilation

The Library building should be designed by an Architect so that buildings should be well

ventilated for good circulation of air Proper ventilation is a must for the well-being of the

library documents. There would be no humidity and moisture, which is responsible for the

decaying of library materials. This is one of the Preventive measures for environmental

factors.

Good Selection of Wooden Furniture

Library Furniture should be bought in the dry season, not in the rainy season. The

furniture should be treated chemically to avoid insects. Wooden furniture should be

painted with good paint annually. Some wooden furniture needs special polishing. This is

also one of the preventive measures for environmental factors.

Big Trees should be avoided

Big Trees should be avoided near the Library building. Their roots will damage the building's

foundation. Sometimes big old tree roots spread far places and if the building is near,

and then there are chances of a crack in the building. Sometimes Big trees fall on the

Library building or parking and lots of damage is done.

Building far from the main Road

The library Building should be far from the main road. If it is near the road then lots of

dust will enter the library. This dust and dirt create serious problems in the future. They

will settle on books and after humidity, the fungus will develop on it.

Protect from Sunlight

One of the preventive measures is that you should stop Sunlight from entering the library.

The sun rays directly falling on the books, will damage it, as it contains ultraviolet rays.

So Library windows should have dark color curtains to stop sun rays from coming inside.

Green glass should be fitted in windows as it reflects sunlight.

Install Air Conditioning

Installing Air Conditioners is the best preventive measure for high humidity. Humidity is

one of the big causes of damaging library materials. Air Conditioners will keep the

temperature cool and the ideal temperature will be easily maintained. This will keep

library materials in good condition.

Proper cleaning

Library Floors should be wiped daily with phenyl. This will keep mosquitoes and ants away

from the floor entering the library. Table, chairs, and Computers in the Library should be

cleaned with dusters. Vacuum Cleaners should be used for cleaning the books as cleaning

with cloths will make it dirtier.

Conclusion

The library is a place to study. It has a huge collection of reading materials. But

maintenance is a big task. You are investing lots of money in the acquisition of books and

subscriptions of journals. Computers and CD ROMS are there for accessing study materials

in electronic form. Methods of preservation of library materials discussed above should

be followed for safeguarding the library.

So every piece of equipment should work, and they should be kept in a dust-free environment. Lots of

dust accumulated in the motherboard of the CPU. A vacuum cleaner can easily take it

out. The library should be far from traffic and the environment should be cool. Humidity

damages Library materials. You should follow preventive measures to safeguard from

decaying it.