By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Mastering these skills ensures that information materials are handled properly, helping to keep important data organized and accessible in your workplace.
Information materials form the foundation of knowledge dissemination and cultural preservation in libraries and information centres across Kenya. Proper identification and handling of these materials is critical to ensuring their longevity and accessibility. This chapter introduces the essential processes involved in recognizing and preparing information materials for preservation, focusing on practical procedures that library professionals encounter daily. Mastery of these procedures enhances the effectiveness of preservation strategies and supports the broader mandate of safeguarding Kenya's intellectual heritage.
Preservation in library and information management is the set of deliberate activities that prolong the life and usability of information resources. In Kenya, where libraries serve diverse communities and face limited funding, heat, humidity, dust and pests, preservation keeps books, documents, audiovisual materials and digital files accessible for future users. It is not limited to repairing damage: it begins the moment materials arrive, with careful receiving, sorting, handling and storage, and continues through security, conservation and restoration.
Example: the library of the Teachers Service Commission in Nairobi records the condition of every file and publication it receives, so that later damage can be traced and treated early.
The terms below are used throughout this unit. Understanding them precisely helps the student distinguish the different activities that keep information materials usable, from the day they arrive to the day they are restored after damage.
Information materials are all the resources a library or information centre acquires, organises and makes available to users. They include print materials (books, journals, newspapers, reports, maps and manuscripts), non print materials (photographs, microfilm, audio and video recordings) and electronic resources (e-books, databases and digital files). Each type has its own handling, storage and preservation needs.
Restoration is the repair of damaged information materials to bring them back as near as possible to their original condition and usefulness. It includes mending tears, filling losses, rebinding and cleaning, and is guided by principles such as reversibility and compatibility. Restoration treats damage that has already happened.
Preservation is the whole range of activities, policies and decisions that prolong the life of information materials and keep their content accessible. It covers preventive care (environment, storage, handling, security), conservation and restoration, and reformatting such as digitisation and microfilming. Preservation is the broad goal; conservation and restoration are parts of it.
Receiving is the formal acceptance of information materials when they arrive at the library, by purchase, donation, exchange or legal deposit. It covers unpacking, checking the delivery against the order and the delivery note, recording the delivery, and stamping and accessioning the items. Careful receiving is the first preservation step, because damage and errors are caught before materials enter the collection.
Conservation is the professional treatment of information materials to stabilise their physical and chemical condition and slow further deterioration, with as little change to the original as possible. It includes de-acidification, cleaning, controlled storage and minimal repairs. Conservation aims to keep the item as it is; restoration aims to bring back what has been lost.
A disaster is an unexpected event that causes serious damage to, or loss of, information materials, such as a fire, flood, burst pipe, building collapse, riot or large-scale theft or cyber attack. Libraries prepare disaster plans that set out how to prevent such events, respond quickly when they happen and salvage and recover damaged materials afterwards.
Preservation safeguards Kenya's cultural and educational resources and keeps them available for research and learning. It helps libraries meet the legal deposit requirements administered by the Kenya National Library Service, which require published materials to be retained. It also saves money, because preserving an item costs far less than replacing it, which matters in resource-constrained environments such as rural community libraries.
Kenyan libraries face fluctuating climate conditions, limited budgets for conservation materials and too few trained staff. High temperatures and humidity in coastal regions accelerate paper decay, and frequent power outages disable climate control systems in many public libraries.
Libraries respond with proper shelving, regular cleaning, pest monitoring, basic environmental controls such as window shading and ventilated stores, and digitisation of fragile items to create backup copies. Partnerships with professional bodies support staff training in preservation practice.
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Create a free accountThis chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the preservation process for information materials, beginning with the initial steps involved in receiving these materials. It highlights the importance of careful unpacking, verifying contents against orders, signing and filing delivery notes, recording delivery details, and applying stamping and accessioning to ensure proper documentation. The chapter then explores various methods for sorting information materials, including alphabetical, chronological, subject-based, format-based, and usage-based approaches, each tailored to organize materials effectively for easy retrieval. Finally, it details the procedures involved in dispatching information materials, emphasizing the need for request verification, appropriate preparation and packaging, clear labelling, selecting suitable dispatch methods, maintaining accurate records, and confirming successful dispatch. These processes collectively support the effective management and long-term preservation of information resources.
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Ruler 30 cm | Wet information materials (books or documents, 32 pages each) |
| Ballpoint pen | Blotting paper |
| Electric fan | Paper towels |
| Clean plastic trays | |
| Clean sheets of A4 paper |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dust coat | 1 pair per Candidate |
| 2 | Face mask | 1 pair per Candidate |
| 3 | Gloves | 1 pair per Candidate |
| 4 | Clean workstation table 1.5m x 1m | 1 per Candidate |
| 5 | Blotting paper | 10 sheets per Candidate |
| 6 | Paper towels | 5 sheets per Candidate |
| 7 | Electric fan | 1 per 5 Candidates |
| 8 | Wet information materials (books or documents, 32 pages each) | 2 per Candidate |
| 9 | Clean plastic trays 40cm x 30cm | 1 per Candidate |
| 10 | Ruler 30 cm | 1 per Candidate |
| 11 | Ballpoint pen | 1 per Candidate |
| 12 | Clean sheets of A4 paper | 5 sheets per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Preparation and PPE | |||
| Wore dust coat (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Wore face mask (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Wore gloves (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Sub-Total | 3 | ||
| TASK 2: Assembling materials and workstation setup | |||
| Assembled blotting paper, paper towels, plastic trays, and wet materials (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Laid out wet materials flat on clean, non-porous surface (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Set up electric fan for gentle air circulation (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Sub-Total | 3 | ||
| TASK 3: Preservation handling and drying demonstration | |||
| Used blotting paper to gently absorb moisture from wet records (Award 3 marks) | 3 | ||
| Used paper towels to protect materials during drying (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Positioned fan to provide gentle circulating air without direct blowing (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Sub-Total | 7 | ||
| TASK 4: Assessment and documentation | |||
| Assessed materials for remaining damage such as brittleness or fading (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Prepared documentation details: material title, preservation method used, date, and condition (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Recorded documentation neatly using ruler and pen on A4 paper (Award 1 mark) | 1 | ||
| Sub-Total | 5 | ||
| TASK 5: Storage and workstation cleanup | |||
| Stored preserved materials appropriately on clean shelves (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Cleared and cleaned workstation after completion (Award 2 marks) | 2 | ||
| Sub-Total | 4 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Information materials dried without damage (size approx. 25cm x 20cm), clean, and properly documented (Award 6 marks) | 6 | ||
| Documentation includes all required details clearly recorded (Award 4 marks) | 4 | ||
| Sub-Total | 10 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 32 | ||
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Marker pen | Delivery note |
| Stamp and ink pad | Order file |
| Scissors | Accession register |
| Packing boxes containing 10 information materials | |
| File folder for delivery note |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workstation | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Dust coat | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 3 | Face mask | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 4 | Gloves | 1 Pair per Candidate |
| 5 | Delivery note | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Order file | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | Marker pen | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 8 | Stamp and ink pad | 1 Set per Candidate |
| 9 | Accession register | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 10 | Packing boxes containing 10 information materials (books, journals, CDs) | 1 Box per Candidate |
| 11 | Scissors | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 12 | File folder for delivery note | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Receiving and unpacking information materials | |||
| Wore PPE (dust coat, face mask, gloves) (Award 1 mark for each PPE worn correctly) | 3 | ||
| Assembled all necessary materials and tools at workstation (Award 2 marks for assembling all items before starting) | 2 | ||
| Physically received delivery and checked condition of packing box (Award 2 marks for proper reception and condition check) | 2 | ||
| Unpacked materials carefully without damage (Award 3 marks for careful unpacking preserving materials) | 3 | ||
| Verified unpacked materials against delivery note and order file (Award 1 mark per correctly verified item, max 5 marks) | 5 | ||
| Signed and dated the delivery note (Award 2 marks for correct signing and dating) | 2 | ||
| Filed delivery note correctly in file folder (Award 2 marks for correct filing) | 2 | ||
| Recorded delivery details accurately in accession register (Award 1 mark per correctly recorded item, max 5 marks) | 5 | ||
| Stamped each information material with accession stamp (Award 1 mark per correctly stamped item, max 5 marks) | 5 | ||
| Accessioned each item with correct accession number as per register (Award 1 mark per correctly accessioned item, max 5 marks) | 5 | ||
| Sub-Total | 34 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Accession register entries match delivery note and order file exactly (Award 5 marks for complete and accurate records) | 5 | ||
| All information materials stamped clearly and legibly (Award 5 marks for neat and clear stamping on all items) | 5 | ||
| Delivery note correctly signed, dated, and filed (Award 3 marks for proper signing, dating, and filing) | 3 | ||
| Materials unpacked without damage and ready for shelving (Award 3 marks for damage-free unpacking and ready condition) | 3 | ||
| Sub-Total | 16 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 50 | ||
At the start of this chapter we promised you would be able to:
Tick each one you can genuinely do.
So, are you there yet?
You're competent when you can confidently do 50% or more of what this chapter promised.
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