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quantitative methods to library management and stressed quality service over mere
numbers. Modern libraries often adapt his principles, although newer technologies
and digital services have expanded staffing requirements beyond his original scope.
It remains a landmark model in LIS education and administration.
3. Digital Preservation
Digital preservation refers to the strategies and actions taken to ensure long-term
access to digital information. With the increasing digitization of documents, images,
audio-visual materials, and research data, preserving their integrity, authenticity,
and usability over time becomes critical. Key techniques include regular data
backups, the use of open and non-proprietary file formats, migration to newer
systems, effective metadata management, and the utilization of secure storage
solutions, such as cloud services or institutional repositories. Preservation also
involves combating bit rot, file format obsolescence, and hardware failure.
Standards such as OAIS (Open Archival Information System) and tools like
LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) aid in ensuring digital longevity. Digital
preservation is crucial for libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions that
are tasked with safeguarding knowledge in the digital era. Without proper strategies,
digital information risks becoming inaccessible, compromising scholarly research,
historical documentation, and public records. Hence, it’s a dynamic field that
integrates IT, policy, and archival best practices.
4. Preservation of Library Materials
Preservation in libraries involves proactive measures to protect and prolong the life
of materials, including books, manuscripts, audiovisual items, and digital files. The
goal is to maintain items in their original usable condition while preventing
physical, chemical, or environmental deterioration. Physical preservation
encompasses controlling temperature, humidity, and light exposure, utilizing acid-
free paper, performing binding repairs, and employing protective enclosures.
Biological threats, such as pests and fungi, are mitigated through the use of
integrated pest management. For rare or fragile items, digitization is a popular
preservation strategy that reduces handling of originals. Modern preservation also
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