chapter 7

Newspaper Preservation in Developing Countries: Issues and Strategies for Intervention

Goodluck Israel Ifijeh

Newspaper preservation has a long history in developing countries, especially in Africa (Alegbeleye 2002). However, it is gaining more attention in recent times. Highlighting the various preservation methods, this chapter defines newspapers, explores their importance and the need to preserve them, and outlines ways through which newspapers can be better preserved in sub-Saharan Africa, comprising countries in western, eastern, and southern Africa.

A newspaper is a regularly scheduled publication containing news, information, and advertising. As of 2007, there were 6,508 daily newspapers in the world, selling 395 million copies a day (Joseph 2010). Wikipedia (an online encyclopedia) attributes this high selling rate to the fact that newspapers publish stories on local and national political events, personalities, crime, business, entertainment, society, and sports. They also feature editorials, columns, classified advertising, comics, and inserts from local business enterprises.

Generally, newspapers meet the following four criteria:

Universality: They cover a wide range of topics.

Periodicity: They are published at regular intervals.

Currency: They contain up-to-date information.

Publicity: Their content should be accessible to the public.

Newspapers may be categorized as daily or weekly and local, national, or international, depending on publication time interval and scope. In terms of format, they are available in hard copies, on compact discs (CDs), and on the Internet. All of these formats are available for use in developing countries.

Modern newspapers come in one of these sizes:

Broadsheets: 600 mm by 800 mm (23 1/2 by 15 inches)

Tabloids: 380 mm by 300 mm (15 by 11 3/4 inches)

Midi or Berliner: 470 mm by 315 mm (18 1/2 by 12 1/4 inches)

The importance of newspapers cannot be overemphasized. They constitute an important source of information in literate societies. Newspapers owe their existence to peoples’ desire to know about themselves, their governments, and their economy. All over the world, researchers consult both retrospective and current newspapers to keep abreast of developments in the past and present, in order to correctly draw scientific conclusions. The increasing relationship between information and the economy of nations and multinationals has given rise to the insatiable need for information. Increasing the quality of information in the decision-making process of organizations definitely improves productivity. Therefore, information is vital to the socioeconomic and technological transformation of developing countries. Thus, newspapers are always in high demand among the various categories of library users. Users’ demand for newspapers has not only justified the need for their acquisition; it has also created the need to evolve effective means to preserve them for current and future use.

Librarians in developing countries are often faced with peculiar challenges in their quest to acquire newspapers. Ordinarily, libraries would like to acquire as many available newspapers as possible. This has not been achieved, partly because these libraries are located within depressed economies (Mohammed 1989). Most national and state governments are faced with the enormous challenge posed by the global economic recession. This has necessitated a cut in library budgets. Most affected are public libraries, which are run by state and regional governments. There have been cuts in the number of newspaper titles acquired by libraries (Aguolu 1996). The costs of newsprint (material with which newspapers are produced) affects the production of newspapers, which in turn affects the subscription rate. The advent of the structural adjustment program (SAP) adopted by many governments in developing countries made prices of major production materials go up by more than 500 percent (Olorunsola 1997). This has caused libraries to cut their newspaper lists, while some libraries have suspended subscriptions altogether. Sporadic interruptions in the publication of some newspaper titles have also posed a challenge to the acquisition of newspapers. Such interruptions are occasioned mainly by political instability, wars, and military and civilian dictatorships in government. There have been reported incidents where newspapers were seized by agents of governments, thus hindering the acquisition and provision of such titles in libraries (Olorunsola 1997).

These factors have made libraries go all out to preserve the number of titles they can afford, using appropriate preservation methods as budgets will allow.

“Developing country” is a term generally used to describe a nation with low-level material wealth. Levels of development may vary, with some developing countries having high average standards of living (O’Sullivan and Sheffrin 2003). These countries are found in Africa, parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America.

The concept of librarianship in developing countries is not fundamentally different from that in the developed world. The main differences lie in the economic, geographical, sociocultural, and technological contexts. No doubt these factors play key roles in the development of any nation’s library system. However, libraries and librarians in developing countries have evolved survival strategies in their professional practice in order to effectively and efficiently serve the needs of clients.

The Difficulty of Newspaper Preservation

One of the most complex problems libraries all over the world face today is how best to preserve the materials that constitute their collections. The preservation of newspapers is complicated by the nature of their composition and structure. Fortunately, librarians, manufacturers, and publishers are becoming more aware of issues relating to preservation and, as such, are searching for solutions.

Ritzenthaler (1993) defined preservation as the activities associated with maintaining library and archived materials for use either in their original form or in some other usable way. Generally, the objective of preservation is to ensure that information is accessible and used for as long as is required by users. The importance of information to the economy of nations justifies the enormous cost and burden of newspaper preservation. Newspapers are media through which important information is accessed. Therefore, libraries cannot afford to allow these papers to deteriorate and become inaccessible to researchers and other library clienteles.

Information professionals in these countries cannot wave aside the obvious fact that libraries stand the imminent risk of losing much of their valuable documented information in consequence of the deterioration of the paper on which they are printed (Ola 2004). Newspapers are made from newsprint, which is very low in archival quality. It is made using ground wood fibers and retains impurities after processing, including resins, tannin, and lignin. Lignin promotes acidic reactions when exposed to heat, light, high humidity, or atmospheric pollutants. Acid causes newspapers to become brittle and deteriorate quickly.

The environmental conditions of sub-Saharan Africa are primary factors that call for the need to preserve newspapers. The three most important factors in environmental control are humidity, temperature, and light; others are dust and air pollution (contaminants in the atmosphere). If newspapers are not properly stored and preserved, these conditions could make them deteriorate rather quickly. The relatively high temperature and sunlight in western and eastern countries of Africa contribute to the quick deterioration of papers. Some of these factors are beyond control, but it is advisable to work toward best practices.

Newspapers need to be preserved against the destructive effects of micro- and macroorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, insects, and rodents. These organisms breed easily in the swamp and rainforest regions. While the vegetation encourages the breeding of these organisms, the eating habits of library staff and users attract them to the library. Micro- and macroorganisms either eat up pages of newspapers or leave stains on them. Proper preservation methods are therefore necessary to keep the activities of these destructive agents in check, especially with regard to newspapers, which are most vulnerable.

It is important to note that the mere fact that these newspapers are handled and used daily demands that librarians find ways to effectively preserve them, if they must continually be in use. If well preserved, the life expectancy of newspapers can be as high as twenty years and higher if reformatted on media other than paper.

Preservation Methods

There are various methods of preserving newspapers. The ones most commonly used are discussed below.

Reformatting

This is the process of replacing deteriorating pages of newspapers from their brittle state to other paper/magnetic tape–based bound volume. This preservation technique serves as the best option in cases where pages of newspapers are too weak or brittle to be consulted by users. The various methods used include microfilming and photocopying.

Microfilming

Microfilming has a long history of use. It is the process of photographic reproduction of documents or images from one-eighth (1:8) to one-fiftieth (1:50) of their original size, usually on a 16 or 25 millimeter film (Online Business Dictionary 2010). It serves the dual purpose of reducing storage space and preservation. Microfilm boosts life expectancy to five hundred years (Alegbeleye 2002). Microfilms can enhance access to information that would otherwise be unavailable or vulnerable to damage or loss through handling. They are relatively inexpensive to produce and copy. However, Alegbeleye (2002) reported that library users dislike this medium because it is not easy to use and copy. This attitude does not negate the fact that microfilms remain very useful for newspaper preservation. Perhaps it is the advent of better digitization methods that is gradually making the use of microfilm unpopular in libraries.

Photocopying

Photocopying is suitable for heavily used newspapers. It helps to check deterioration. Photocopying with durable paper is an often-adopted option. The process must be carefully carried out since it could cause damage to fragile items. Photocopies occupy as much space as originals, so there is no gain in storage space. It is the cheapest preservation method because the cost per unit is the lowest. One of its disadvantages is that it could be tedious if the number of pages to be photocopied is many.

Digitization

In our context, digitization is the process of documenting information in electronic format and making it accessible through media such as compact discs (CDs), the Internet, and so on. Digitization in libraries in Africa is relatively recent, having started in the past decade. It began with scanning, and other technologies have recently emerged. Newspaper publishers now sell electronic versions in CD format. Libraries buy these CDs and store them in databases that are made accessible to users. Digitization is very expensive. Apart from the high cost of purchasing software and hardware, trained personnel are needed to run the systems. These are not easy to come by in libraries in developing countries. Nevertheless, this preservation method is very effective, as electronic formats last longer than paper. Predictably, very few libraries in developing economies, especially in Africa, adopt this method due to lack of funds, shortage of trained personnel who are willing to work in the library, and inadequate power supply. Efforts are underway to reduce the cost of digitizing newspapers. Some national libraries take advantage of the legal deposit laws to obtain electronic copies of newspapers, which they make available at very cheap prices to libraries. In Nigeria, the national library sells a whole month’s issues of any given title of newspaper on CDs for less than ten dollars ($10).

Binding

This is the most popular method of newspaper preservation in Africa. Binding helps to store original copies on a permanent basis. Binding has been a frequently used method for organizing and storing newspaper. Whole copies or clips of newspapers are bound on a monthly basis. The bound volumes are provided with thick covers that are labeled appropriately to aid organization and access. The binding of newspapers must be done by a professional binder. The bound papers are arranged on specially designed shelves under favorable atmospheric conditions. Apart from the cost, newspaper binding must be done with care so as not to damage the text. It also creates unwieldy volumes that are difficult to handle properly.

Housing

This involves storing frequently used newspapers in boxes. The boxes are custom-made to suit the size of each newspaper. The newspapers are stacked neatly and organized in chronological sequence, and an index created for easy reference.

Wrapping

Here, newspapers that are not frequently used are tied in bundles and wrapped in a sturdy alkaline paper. The procedure is considered cumbersome because the bundles must be reassembled and tied after each use.

Digital Preservation

As earlier stated, newspapers exist in digital formats that also need to be preserved. Digital preservation refers to the series of managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials indefinitely. It entails basic handling, storage, and environmental control. Newspapers on CDs need to be stored in special cases made for them and kept in closed access under good environmental conditions. Information professionals must also take proper care of computer systems housing newspaper databases. The systems must be protected from virus attacks. Digital preservation is generally categorized into the following divisions:

Long-term preservation: continued access to digital materials or at least to the information in them, stored indefinitely

Medium-term preservation: continued access to digital materials beyond changes in technology for a defined period of time, but not indefinitely

Short-term preservation: access to digital materials either for a defined period of time while use is predicted but that does not extend beyond the foreseeable future and/or until they become inaccessible because of changes in technology.

Enhancing Better Newspaper Preservation Practice

One of the problems of newspaper preservation in most developing nations is either lack of preservation policies or inability of appropriate agencies to monitor compliance where such policies exist. Preservation policy entails drawing guidelines and underlying principles that must be meticulously followed by libraries. Such policies are usually formulated by national bodies (e.g., national libraries) rather than individual libraries. Libraries may only formulate theirs based on national policies. The process of developing policy, or periodic review of an established policy, allows a library to establish and shape an institution’s specific mission (Morrow 2000). Newspaper preservation policy will guide both librarians and users in the handling and storage of newspapers. Furthermore, preservation policies will help to outline and sustain standards. Standards play important roles in ensuring widespread accessibility, and in defining formats and methods capable of surviving future technological changes. A typical library preservation policy should include (but not be limited to) the following elements: a statement of need, definition of concepts and terms, preservation principles and practices, institutional preservation priorities, selection strategy, program outline, and cooperative relationships (if any).

Libraries could take advantage of consortia in the area of preservation in a bid to cut down on cost and maximize the use of limited funds. A consortium is an association of libraries set up for a common purpose that would be beyond the capabilities of any of the libraries in the group. This is a popular practice in developed countries. The United States Newspaper Program is a good example in this regard. Shenton (2001) opined that libraries have historically worked together to develop effective methodologies and common standards for effective transfer of information. Libraries with particular strength in a collection could share preservation of specific titles of newspapers among themselves. This option needs to be explored as a survival strategy by libraries on very tight budget. National libraries in these nations must take the lead in bringing about consortia initiatives. The efforts of the British Library in the United Kingdom and the Library of Congress in the United States are worthy examples to emulate. Shenton (2001) reported that funding is available for library consortia through charity and other nongovernmental organizations.

There is also the need to train and retrain professional and paraprofessional library staff on proper handling of library materials, especially newspapers. Preservation is a specialized field that requires professionals who understand the physical and chemical nature of materials in their custody. Librarians need to be exposed to the theory and practice of preservation. Preservation training can be taught through workshops, seminars, apprenticeships, and internships. Each form offers a different level of education and training over a period of time. Training through workshops and seminars is an excellent way to raise awareness of challenges in preservation and identifying general areas of concentration. Training courses may include general preservation issues such as disaster-response planning, care of newspapers, building design, environmental control, preservation methods, and long-term planning. Special workshops on new methods are helpful in keeping abreast of recent developments. Practical work experience in the library is also very important. Alegbeleye (1993) notes the practical work experience at the Kenya National Archives and documentation services, where new staff members are first sent to the preservation unit before being assigned to duty posts. Other libraries need to emulate this worthy example.

Library users contribute to the deterioration of newspapers. They need to be informed and instructed on how to handle newspapers in the least damaging way. Such instructions could be passed on during library orientations. Appropriate illustrative posters (on proper ways to handle newspapers) could be placed at strategic locations, especially at the point of use. Library users are often unaware of the consequences of their actions, and with the cost of subscriptions escalating and budgets shrinking every year, newspaper management becomes even more critical. Library users will better understand the challenges faced by libraries when they view a display of newspaper pages damaged through careless behavior and realize the effects of pests attracted to the library through their food and drinks. They should be made to see the tedious efforts of preserving papers through live demonstrations. These efforts would help reduce the rate of poor handling of newspaper pages by users.

Disaster planning is part of preservation. Libraries should have a disaster plan. Surprisingly, most institutions are not prepared to handle disaster situations. The absence of a disaster plan implies that in the event of one, the library would not be able to respond to the disaster with the urgency it demands. Alegbeleye (1993) observed that libraries in Africa are prone to disasters that can be classified as natural and man-made. They include fire outbreak, flooding, and earthquakes.

Conclusion

Newspapers are important media of vital information needed for the educational, economic, scientific, and technological transformation of nations. The need to preserve them for current and future use cannot be overemphasized. The fact that newspapers contain important information for current and future use makes their preservation a necessity in every library. Libraries in developing countries have evolved and adopted various preservation methods, but their efforts are limited due to economic and technological factors. National libraries in these countries must liaise at this point with other libraries to develop and monitor newspaper preservation policies. They should also initiate and seek funding for consortia programs with regard to newspaper preservation. Individual libraries must strive to put necessary policies in place and meet high standards.

In an era of information and communications technology (ICT), libraries need to look in the direction of ICT application in the preservation of library resources, especially newspapers. This should begin with the acquisition of digitized copies of newspapers. As earlier stated, these are available from some national libraries at a subsidized rate.

References

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