WELCOME TO PRESAVATION AND CONSERVATION OF INFORMATION MATERIALS ONLINE COURSE BY MADAM PURITY

This unit is crucial for Diploma in Information Science programs, equipping students with essential knowledge and skills to safeguard information resources for long-term access.

I. Core Concepts & Principles:

• Definitions: Preservation (prolonging life, preventing deterioration) vs. Conservation (stabilizing/restoring damaged materials).
• Rationale: Importance for historical, research, legal, cultural, and economic value.
• Material Types: Covers paper (books, manuscripts, photos), audiovisual (tapes, CDs), and digital formats.
• Causes of Deterioration:
  • Environmental: Temperature, humidity, light, pollution.
  • Biological: Pests, mold, fungi.
  • Chemical: Acidic paper, ink degradation.
  • Physical: Poor handling, storage, disasters, human error.
• Conservation Ethics: Principles like minimal intervention, reversibility, documentation.

II. Preservation Techniques & Strategies:

• Environmental Control: Maintaining optimal temperature/humidity, air filtration.
• Storage & Handling: Using archival-quality materials, proper shelving, secure handling.
• Disaster Management: Risk assessment, developing response/recovery plans (e.g., salvage of water-damaged items).
• Reprography & Digitization: Microfilming, digital preservation strategies (scanning, metadata, migration).
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Identification and control of pests.

III. Conservation & Restoration (Practical Aspects):

• Basic Repair: Mending tears, spine repair, basic bookbinding.
• Cleaning: Gentle dusting and surface treatment.
• Condition Assessment: Evaluating material state.
• Tools & Equipment: Familiarization with common conservation tools.
• Documentation: Recording all preservation actions.

IV. Policy & Management:

• Preservation Policies: Developing institutional guidelines.
• Standards: Awareness of national/international standards (e.g., UNESCO).
• Professional Roles: Understanding the role of conservators.

Learning Outcomes: Students will explain preservation importance, identify material types and deterioration causes, apply techniques, develop disaster plans, understand ethics, and utilize relevant tools. This unit is highly practical and often includes hands-on training.