User:Farooq Ahmad Magray

FAROOQ AHMAD MAGRAY

SOPORE KASHMIR

“PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES OF RARE MATERIALS IN LIBRARIES OF DISTRICT BARAMULLA, JAMMU & KASHMIR”

INTRODUCTION

Library collection generally contains a wide range of organic materials, including paper, cloth, animal skin, and adhesives, and modern media such as microforms, optical and magnetic discs, digital formats, photographs, and audio and visual media. The organic substances undergo a continual and inevitable natural ageing process. While measures can be taken to slow this deterioration by careful handling and providing a sympathetic environment, it is impossible to halt it altogether. The chemical and physical stability of library material also depends on the quality and processing of the raw products used in their manufacture together with the design and construction of the final artifact. Over the centuries, the pressures of mass production have reduced the material quality of what is received in libraries. Much of the paper stock manufactured after 1850 is highly acidic, becomes brittle, and will self-destruct in time. Binding techniques have been abbreviated for the sake of automation and many text-blocks are now held together solely by adhesive. In fact, all books and, in particular, leather bindings, are far more susceptible to damage. Though these documents have inherent preservation problems they need to be stored and used carefully if they are not to perish prematurely. Thus two major problems confront a librarian seeking a pre 1900 book are durability and scarcity.