Discuss the various methods adopted by libraries for arranging library materials.

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 Of all the functions in a library, the maintenance work is the least discussed in professional literature. However, the importance of maintenance work cannot be over emphasised. In fact, the ultimate success of various other functions like acquisition, classification and cataloguing rests on the efficiency of maintenance work. No matter how well a collection is classified or catalogued, books cannot be serviceable to users unless proper care is taken to organise and maintain the book collection. It is one of those less glamorous, nonetheless, very important tasks in a library. Now let us discuss what constitutes maintenance work. Maintenance work involves continuous monitoring of the proper stocking, arrangement and display of books on the shelves in the stack rooms and taking care of them. This essentially implies two aspects:

·         Organisation of the stack room and arrangements of books on the shelves

·         Conservation of books i.e. overseeing and supervising the physical conditions of books, overall cleanliness of the stack areas, etc.

Organisation: In an open access library which allows users to browse, choose and select books of their interest, shelf organisation and arrangement of books are of primary importance. Books on different subjects that are constantly on demand are to be easily accessible to readers. This means that the professional classification schedules are rarely in tune with the layman's expectations of sequence of books on shelves. In a public library books of fiction,, travelogues, biography may be more popular from the readers point of view than the more serious books on literature, sciences and social sciences. A classification scheme does not provide the sequence of subjects of books on their its popularity. Besides, reference books like encyclopaedias, dictionaries, year books, directories, etc. should be kept in a separate place for easy reach and uninterrupted use by readers. Recent arrivals and books on current interest must be displayed at a prominent place to attract the attention of readers. Other books must be stacked according to their popular use with reference to the subjects.

Conservation: The second aspect of maintenance work is book conservation. Only books in good physical condition should be allowed to stay on shelves. Constant shelf checking would remove torn, soiled and damaged books from shelves for repair, rebinding or to be withdrawn from circulation. This is a healthy practice and should never be underestimated. Another important aspect of conservation is that the stacks must be cleaned regularly to protect books from dust, dirt and insects. Airconditioning of stack rooms would be ideal to protect books from dust, heat and moisture. All these efforts are to aid the fundamental task of locating a book when it is wanted and returning to its assigned place when it is no longer needed; maintaining the order of books and taking care of the books that they are wanted again: All these tasks are usually entrusted to a maintenance section/division in addition to the other functions.

The main areas of responsibility of the maintenance section or division are:

Taking responsibilities regarding: (a) the method of stacking and type of storage equipment; (b) the arrangement of the collection, including special arrangement for category of materials - oversized books, non-book materials, etc., (c) the effective and efficient use of the architectural features of the building for stacking books:

·         Maintaining orderliness and cleanliness in the stackrooms;

·         Training and supervising the work of the maintenance section/division staff;

·         Decisions regarding the conservation of material, repair, binding, etc.;

·         Maintenance of records pertaining to stock control.

The specific functions of the maintenance work include:

·         shelving

·         location of documents

·         shifting of collections

·         dusting and cleaning

·         preparation and maintenance of guides

·         maintenance of documents

·         shelf rectification

·         maintenance of shelf list or register 

·         stock verification

·         binding

·         vigilance

·         conservation

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