Impact of Climate Change on Library Collections Debated

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The impact of climate change on library collections was discussed at the International Federation of Library Association’s (IFLA) 2015 Preservation and Conservation Section Preconference Satellite Meeting on UKZN’s Howard College campus.

The two-day meeting was held to discuss the challenges and new trends of designing, planning, construction and renovating buildings for today’s libraries; sustainable decision-making to preserve collections; the silent disaster – testing for mould type and preservation articles, and the general impact of climate change on the preservation management of collections.

Keynote speaker, renowned Hydrologist and water researcher, UKZN’s Emeritus Professor Ronald Schulze, spoke about the impact of climate change on the preservation management of collections in libraries, special collections, archives and museums.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor Jonathan Blackledge, said digitisation had become the core of the future of preservation, adding that there was a shortage of skills in the conservation and preservation of collections.

Blackledge said the University was privileged to host the meeting highlighting that the University was a home to several arts and historical collections.

According to Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Director, Professor Hassan Kaya, people should not have to move to Europe to learn about African material.  He said the problem was that most IKS information was passed orally from one generation to the next.

Wife of veteran author and poet Mazisi Kunene, Mrs Mathabo Kunene, described her husband as someone who wrote every minute of the day, loved his children and fought for liberation. In her talk titled: “My Story and Journey in Preserving the Mazisi Kunene Literary Collection”, she spoke about the challenges she faced in preserving her husband’s collection.

Kunene said UKZN and institutions of higher learning needed to send out volunteers or students into the community to collect heritage details and stories. ‘That would make us a country with a body of work.’

She commended UKZN Vice-Chancellor, Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, and the energy of Blackledge and UKZN Library Director, Ms Joyce Myeza, in ensuring that Mazisi Kunene’s work was preserved. ‘I am grateful for having this collection. I cannot wait to transport it to UKZN where it belongs.’

Architect Mr Ken Froise delivered a presentation on the new trends in designing and planning buildings to accommodate climate change. These included harvesting rainwater, recycling 80% of water use, demountable partition systems in buildings and planting indigenous forests.

The gathering heard that challenges in planning and preservation in today’s libraries included some collections not having the right equipment to clean mould, digital preservation, financial constraints, access to the National Library, skills development and the lack of knowledge among communities on libraries, museums and collections.