Barbados Court library compromised

Author: Shawn Cumberbatch
Title: Court library compromised
Source: The Barbados Advocate
Date: 23 June, 2009

URL: http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=local&NewsID=4433

Abstract:

This article reports on the need for the training of librarians in book preservation. This issue came up out during the official opening of the 24th Annual General Meeting and seminar of the Caribbean Association of Law Librarians. The meeting took place at the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

The issues were higlighted by both Chief Justice Sir David Simmons and Attorney-General Freundel Stuart of Barbados. The two raised the issue that the premier law library of the island is suffering the destruction of library materials due to hostile environmental conditions. The article stresses the conclusion drawn that there is need for funding and training in preservation and conservation issues. In addition, Cumberbatch reports that the solution that the authorities will be pursuing to address the problem is to to secure funding from the Inter-American Development Bank for the project of library and library material restoration.



Excerpt:

ENVIRONMENTAL problems, including mould and fungus, have cost Barbados’ highest domestic court a “substantial” amount of its library material.

Chief Justice (CJ) Sir David Simmons disclosed yesterday that authorities were now looking to secure funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, as part of its Justice Improvement Programme with the island, to significantly restore the large volume of legal books and other important reading material housed in the 278-year-old Supreme Court library.