DISASTER CONTROL MEASURES IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN NASARAWA STATE

ABSTRACT

This study set out to examine disaster control measures in academic libraries in Nasarawa State of Nigeria. It was guided by five research questions which sought to identify the types of disaster prevalent in the academic libraries; causes of those disasters; preventing occurrence of disaster in their collections and measures academic libraries would use to cope with disasters if it eventually occurred. The study was a descriptive survey of five academic libraries in Nasarawa State. The total population from all the five academic libraries respondents are fourty seven (47) and the whole population was used for the study.  Data  was  generated  using  questionnaires  administered on  the  Librarians  and library officers in five academic libraries. Simply frequency tables and percentages were used for data presentation. The major findings of the study were as follows: the greatest damage to collections was from theft, followed by mutilation of libraries materials, water incidence, insect attack, and rodents; invasion. There had never been any fire incidence, non deterioration of audio-visual materials and any form of earthquakes in any academic library in the State. Most libraries were not very ready to cope with disaster since most did not have any comprehensive disaster plan, did not ensured there collection, only few that collaborate with essential service departments. The following recommendations were made based on the findings: staff should intensify surveillance of reading areas and carrels particular towards the close of library hours. Electronic theft detection devices should be installed library administrators should ensure that libraries have comprehensive disaster plans. Each of the libraries should have members of disaster reaction team. They will be charged with the responsibility of taking care of the library if    disaster occurs, and the staff must be well trained in areas of preventing and controlling of disaster. There should  be  collaboration  between the  library and  essential services  like  fire  service, security and telephone service. The library and its holdings should be adequately insured.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Academic libraries exist in institutions of higher education such as University, Colleges of Education, Colleges of technology and polytechnic. These are largely tertiary educational institutions usually available after secondary education.

The need for well developed libraries is inexorable greater in Nigeria than in advanced countries. We cannot expect an excellent academic programmed in any educational  institution  without  the  support  of  a  well  equipped  library.  University, colleges of Education and Polytechnic are not adjuncts to their parent institutions, but integral parts of them.

Professor Alex Kwaanpong, former Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ghana once declared:

“The  university library  is  the  heart,  if  not  aorta, of any University,  and  its academic health, intellectual vitality and effectiveness, therefore, closely depend on the state of health and excellence of its library. An inert and moribund library invariable means an inert and moribund university.

Again the centrality of the University library in the intellectual life of the university is epitomized in the off quoted statement of the British University grants committee.

“The character and efficiency of a university may be gauged  by its treatment of its central organ, the library. We regard the fullest provision for library maintenance as the primary and most vital need in the equipment of a university. An adequate library is not only the basis of all teaching and study, it is the essential condition of research, without which additions cannot be made to sum of human.

The  university,  college  or  education and  polytechnics  library  must  posses  a minimum number of books and current periodicals, let alone other types of information resources in certain subjects, to be able to satisfy the basic information and bibliographic needs of students and faculty in those subjects. It is the size of a collection combined with

its quality that ensures its adequacy, which has thus both qualitative and quantitative dimensions.

The  academic  libraries  need  to  protect  their  resources  and  collection  from disaster. This, therefore, implies that the information resources these building holding could be at risk in the event of a disaster. Morgan and Smith (1997) state and library resources are very valuable either for the information they contain or for their physical beauty. The materials are meant to be a sources knowledge, pleasure and assistance for generations to cone. Libraries house and protect materials which by the very native are very susceptible to disasters. Academic library collection could be easily lost in a disaster and a nation stands to loss greatly if theses are no arrangements to prevent or mitigate the consequences of disaster. Mathew (1994) who asserted that survey have shown that some sort of disaster in libraries almost inevitable. There is no any comprehensive document on disaster control in Nasarawa State. That is why, the researcher want to find out measures academic libraries use to control disasters in their libraries

Across the world, disaster has devastating results due to inadequate preparation to control and manage it. The impact of disasters, usually spontaneous and severe, is often irreparable. Library materials are particularly vulnerable to the effects of disasters. Alegbeleye (1993), citing League of the Red Cross defines disaster as a   catastrophic situation in which the daily ways of life are suddenly disrupted and people are thrown into confusion and suffering and as a result need protection and other necessities of livelihood. Alegbeleye(1993) cites McIntyre  describes disaster as “an event, the timing of which is unexpected and the consequences seriously disruptive”. Blagg (2007) sees disaster as “an occurrence that causes death or destruction”. From the definitions above, the researcher understands disaster as an unexpected event, catastrophic, accident, destruction to human life and properties.

Akussah and Fosu (2001) citing Anderson and McIntyre and relating disaster more closely to libraries, define it as an unexpected event with destructive consequences to the library materials. Another definition offered by Mathews and Eden (1996) see library disaster as any incident which threatens human safety and damage library buildings, collections, equipment and  systems.  Alegbeleye (1993) writes that  library disaster  could  be  tragedies  that  befall  libraries,  archives,  registries,  electronic  data

processing centers, others, whose records and documents are destroyed. A disaster results in sudden removal of records and documents from accessibility and use.

Libraries provide an ideal environment for the initiation of fire as they contain combustible matter  and  materials that  support burning  like  books,  computer, carrel, wooden shelves. Fire incidents in libraries partial or total results in burning of books. Smoke, heat and water can cause great damage. Smoke leaves an unpleasant odour that can inhibit the use of books. Soot may cover the books to such extent that they could be unusable and may be discarded. The heat that accompanies the smoke can make the paper very brittle and consequently shorten its life span. Water used in extinguisher to suppress fire, often compounds damage as the books soak a considerable amount of it, which may cause their eventual destruction.

Fire disaster has been destroying libraries for time immemorial. In Nigeria, Alegbeleye  (1993)  reported that  the  library of the  Institute of Policy and  Strategic Studies, Kuru, was destroyed by fire in 1987.

Resources in libraries have been damaged by water in form of rain, flood, and water leakage through roofs, blown off roof, faulty air condition system, burst or leaking pipes, or event from water used in putting off fire in case of fire out break. In Nigeria, Leaking roof destroyed books and teaching aids of the Federal Ministry of Education library in 1987. Library materials were also destroyed at the Nigeria Forestry Research Library by heavy rainfall. There was flooding through the roof during renovation in 1988.

Akinforlarin (1992) writes that all over the world, the problem has reached the point where students do not care being seen by others in the act of illegal removal of library resources. Ancient  libraries had to  chain their collections as a result  of this problem (Jackson, 1990). Libraries have adopted various strategies to minimize the loss inflicted on their collections as a result of stealing. Some of the measures include

    Surveillance of stock and reading areas by staff

    Use of human security guards at the library exit

    Instillation of burglary proof on all doors and windows

    Educating users on how the library suffers when theft and mutilation occur

    Electronic alarm system on all books (Kaufman, 1995; and Ozioko 1997).

Library materials have some biological agents that attack its collections. Varieties of insects have been identified as enemies of library materials. The most common of

these pests are cockroaches, silverfish, termites and moths. They can attack collections, causing extensive damage. Prevention of insect attack in libraries according to Alegbeleye, (1993). Can be approached through the following measures:.

1.      Good library building design, with require building materials.

2.      Regular monitoring of the collection to spot areas of their activity.

3.      Keep all insects out of buildings by use of pesticides and modern pest-control to eliminate, when even they are detected.

Rodents like rats, mice and squirrels causes a lot of damage to library collection as a result of chewing off electrical wire and destroying materials of nesting purposes defecating and urinating on them. (Plumbe,1964;Parke 1986;Alegbeleye,1993).

The wide range of non-book materials like computers, video tape, cassette etc. the following have been listed as sources of damage to audio-visual materials: fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity, dust, sunlight excessive fluorescent lighting, incorrect shelving and careless handling by librarians and users. (Agayi, 1988 and schuller,1996)

From the disaster mentioned above, if any affects a library, there is bound to be destruction  of  library  collections  or  structure.  Rare  and  some  times  irreplaceable materials that cost large sums of institutional money could be destroyed. Albuquerque (2004) reported that after a library has gone through disaster, recovery work takes a lot of time of librarians and patrons who serve as volunteer workers in the rescue operation. It also involves a lot of money, labor and very valuable materials that may be hard to replace if damaged beyond repair. There is need to plan ahead, not only to minimize permanent damage or loss to a collection, but also to try and prevent disaster from occurring. They advised that librarians should not only play an active role in developing disaster plans, but should be realistically prepared, if the worst happens.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

By nature, library materials are vulnerable to disasters of various kinds. Quite like disasters in any other human organization, they usually leave in their trail very unpleasant experiences. However, the particular circumstance of disasters in libraries is that they

may bring about extensive damage or loss of information a resource which is invaluable in daily lives. This implies that such condition should not be allowed to prevail in the life of any library.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that academic libraries in Nigeria may be prepared against disasters. When they are at all in place, Eden and Mathews (1996) have noted that they may be inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the imminence of disaster. Worse still, there is no empirically derived dada or findings on the status of disasters in these libraries, particularly in Nasarawa State.

Ever though human beings generally hate disaster, it is not a matter to ignore. One obvious implication of ignoring disasters and their planning is that it increases the risk of the magnitude of loss when it  occurs. This is why a study of this nature is needed urgently to look into the disaster control measures in academic libraries in Nasarawa state.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study intends to investigate disaster control measures in academic libraries in

Nasarawa State. Specifically the study was set to out:

1.  Identify the kinds of disaster prevalent in academic libraries in Nasarawa

State.

2.  Find out the causes of those disasters.

3.  Find out the consequences of disaster on the library collection and services of academic libraries in Nasarawa State

4.  Disaster control measures employed in the libraries

5.  Suggest solutions to the problems of disasters in libraries.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study is particularly in the areas of revealing the factors that cause damage to collections in academic libraries in Nasarawa State. It is hoped that the knowledge will help the administrators of these academic libraries in planning for disaster and in formulation of disaster control policies for their institutions. The study will provide librarians in these academic libraries with the measures used to prevent the occurrence of disaster in their libraries.

It  is  also  hoped that,  the  study will  reveal the  methods some other  academic libraries use in solving their disaster problems and thus, help to make the knowledge of these methods available to librarians in the state. The result of this study may help to eliminate or minimize re-occurrence of disaster problems in academic libraries in Nasarawa state of Nigeria. Finally, it is hoped that the study will benefit students and researchers, who will embark on similar studies in this area in future by furnishing them with literature in this area.

SCOPE

The study covered academic libraries in Nasarawa State in the North central State of  Nigeria.  The  study  will  also  cover  types  of  disaster,  causes,  consequences and measures used in combating disaster in libraries.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions guided the study:-

1.What kinds of disasters are prevalent in academic libraries in Nasarawa State?

2.What are the causes of disaster in academic libraries in Nasarawa State?

3.What  are  the  consequences  of  disaster  on  the  library  collection  and  services  in academic libraries in Nasarawa State?

4. What are the disaster control measures employed in the libraries? 5.What are the strategies to prevent disasters in the library?

₦5,000.00 – DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT Added to cart

---

---

---

---

---

Related Project Topics :