PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF LIBRARY RESOURCES IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH-EAST ZONE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to look at the preservation and conservation of Library Resources in Federal University Libraries in South –East of Nigeria. The objectives were: to determine the preservation and conservation practices; ascertain the extent such practices are applied; examine the prevailing factor necessitating these libraries; examine the library resources where these preservation and conservation practices are applied; Highlight on the problem associated with the preservation and conservation practices; suggest ways of enhancing the preservation and conservation practices in Federal Universities. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study, and 93 academic libraries comprised of the four University Libraries in South-East Zone were sampled. There was no need for sampling since the entire populations which are the 93 academic libraries in the four Federal Universities were used. Observation checklist, Questionnaire and Oral interview were used for data collection. 93 copies of questionnaire was distributed and collected, representing the 100% in analyzing the data obtained, frequency counts, simple percentages, and mean (X) were used as statistical methods. The results obtained from the findings, revealed that various types of preservation and observation practices exist in University Libraries; that despite the preservation and conservation practices available in there libraries; that library resources are deplorable in these libraries; that the academic Librarians agreed with factors necessitating these libraries in adopting preservation and conservation; that the academic librarians are merely satisfied with the extent under which preservation and conservation are applied to materials in these libraries; that there are some problems associated with preservation and conservation of library resources in these libraries; that many strategies were suggested by the academic librarians to enhance the preservation and conservation polices in these libraries. Based on the finding, it was recommended that these libraries should put into practice all the available preservation and conservation polices in their libraries;  that regular power supply should be improved upon; sanctions among the librarians should be encouraged; tanning personnel of the library should be organized for the academic librarians; adequate funding and infrastructure should be given to the library users; proper cleaning and dusting as well as proper shelving of books should be given to library materials; eating in the library should be discouraged and regular fumigation of the library should be put into practice.