Enhancing librarianship students’ awareness of preservation at the learning resource center of a Mekong Delta university

Purpose This study aims to investigate the rate of print material deterioration at the Learning Resource Center – a university at the Mekong Delta and identify users’ behaviors that may harm library materials, thereby presenting some potential solutions to enhance librarianship students’ awareness of preservation. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on Walker’s (2003) conceptual framework of preservation and that of education and propaganda from awareness development. Using a quantitative approach, 25-item questionnaire was delivered to 133 sophomores and seniors and analyzed by SPSS software. Qualitative data from the open-ended question were recorded and analyzed by themes. Findings The findings from this study show that the rate of print material deterioration at the Learning Resource Center was relatively low compared to that of other libraries in the nation and in the world. In addition, students’ knowledge about how to make the photocopies, as well as how much to open the book, is limited. The most important reason is because of lack of education from school and the library. The research also proposed some effective and realizable solutions to enhance librarianship students’ awareness of preservation of the materials at Learning Resource Center of a Mekong Delta university, Vietnam. Practical implications This research provides library staff and users, especially librarianship students, with an awareness of the important role of book preservation, human behavior of library collections and potential preventive ways of book damage. This study also specifies evidence that library lecturers should include ethical issues in their lectures because librarianship students still have limited knowledge of book preservation. By doing so, these actions may motivate librarianship students to continue to learn and apply their knowledge of preservation into library materials and their own documents. Furthermore, the finding of the library work punishment contributes to better understanding of library labor force and students’ personality education. The findings can serve as a reference to educating other users in Vietnam and globally. Originality/value The level of print material deterioration at the Learning Resource Center of a Mekong Delta university, Vietnam and library work punishment were observed to be the most important findings with regard to library preservation in a particular library in Southeast Asian country. These findings provide insights into students’ awareness of preservation, not yet discussed in the literature.

Education and Training of Preservation and Conservation in Sun Yat-sen University (2001–2016)

Since the Chinese Rare Book Preservation Plan started in 2007, education and training in preservation and conservation of library and archival collections have been of increasing concern. Many forms of integrated development have been implemented, including schoolThe concept of school in this article includes (1) colleges, (2) universities, and (3) technical secondary schools. education, apprenticeships, and professional training. The number of training institutions has doubled, and the level of training has been raised. Some comprehensive universitiesIn China, a comprehensive university is one that offers a broad range of courses, instead of specializing (as is the case, for example, with medical or technical universities). began to participate in this provision of education and training, and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) was a typical example. At SYSU, the introduction occurred in three stages: leading edge (2001–2003); beginning (2004–2008); and comprehensive development (2009–). Following these stages, SYSU launched a full range of programs offering education and training in preservation and conservation, and has formed the SYSU Model, which relies on the first-level discipline, Science of Library, Information and Archive Management.China's Ministry of Education stipulates that in the establishment of the graduate education system of colleges and universities, the first-level discipline is the major discipline and the second-level discipline is a subclass of it. In total, there are 110 first-level disciplines. The science of Library, Information and Archive Management is one of them. In the process, it has also developed unique characteristics, such as effective integration of Chinese and Western theories; attaching equal importance to preservation and conservation; and an effective combination of theory and practice.

Transmission of Knowledge and Book Preservation in the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlī Tradition

The transmission and preservation of knowledge in Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlism are constrained by the restrictions imposed by the state of satr (concealment) of the imam. During this period, until the return of the concealed imam, it is the duty of daʿwa officials to preserve the esoteric knowledge known as the bāṭin. As a result, only initiated believers are granted access to religious literature, and then, only to what is appropriate for the degree of knowledge they have reached. The preservation and dissemination of the religious heritage of the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlis is therefore intertwined with and determined by access to the literature as granted to students of the faith, depending on the student’s level of religious education.

An overview of the applications of furfural and its derivatives

<p>Recently, furfural, “the sleeping beauty bio-renewable chemical” has gained a renewed attention as a potential chemical for the production of biofuels and biochemicals. Furfural is the most commonly produced industrial chemical because its production is very flexible. It is one of the top value-added chemicals that can be produced from biomass. Furfural and its derivatives have been extensively used in plastics, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Furfural is a natural precursor to a range of furan-based chemicals and solvents such as dihydropyran, methyltetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofuran, methylfuranfurfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and furoic acid. Furfural and its derivatives have been widely applied as fungicides and nematicides, transportation fuels, gasoline additives, lubricants, resins, decolorizing agents, jet fuel blend stocks, drugs, insecticides, bio-plastics, flavor enhancers for food and drinks, rapid all-weather repair system for bomb-damaged runways and pot holes and also for wood modification and book preservation.</p>