Preservation and conservation of library materials at Kawempe Muslim Senior Secondary School

Abstract

The study aimed at examining the preservation and conservation of library materials at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School Library. The study objectives were to examine the ways used for preserving and conserving library materials, identify the challenges encountered in preservation and conservation of the Library materials and suggest strategies that can be used to improve preservation and conservation of the Library materials at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School. A total of 55 respondents including the library administration and staff and students participated in the study. These were selected by purposive and simple random sampling techniques and contacted using questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study showed that preservation and conservation of library materials at Kawempe Muslim Secondary school library was done through shelving, conducting fumigation, proper housekeeping activities like mopping and sweeping. Conservation on the other hand involved binding torn out papers, reduce dampness, restrictive book borrowing policy, spraying it with DDT, laminating and covering books with water-proof papers. Challenges to preservation and conservation of library materials established were lack of co-operation from the library staff, limited involvement of students in preservation and library activities, inadequate materials to preserve and conserve library materials, inadequate staff, and lack of library policy. It was concluded that preservation and conservation of library materials was still below standard and poor. Recommendations included need to encourage a co-operation while using the library, need to develop a library policy, improvement on the layout of the library, adopt use of e-library services and acquiring better and strong materials. There was also need to improve on the number of staff, machines and laminating machines that can improve on the preservation and conservation of the library materials. It was suggested that further study should be conducted on the ethical conduct of staff in libraries and the contribution of library services towards the academic performance of students in secondary schools.