A study on suitable media to culture fungal species found in various audio visual library collections in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

In the examination of changes took place in the libraries during past few decades, we find most of the libraries providing information to the users in many different media. Libraries now circulate paper­based materials like books, periodicals, photographs, and maps as well as audio and video recordings etc. Currently, we are beginning to witness the introduction of computer terminals and digital library materials in the modern libraries. It is oblivious that audio and video recordings often have reduced life expectancies for a variety of reasons in tropical countries. In Sri Lanka, audiovisual library materials are very susceptible to fungal attacks due to the warmer temperature combined with high relative humidity and dust in the atmosphere. Basically, mold can have adverse effect not only on library materials but also on human beings who use those materials, affected by mold. Prolonged exposure to molds in closed areas, which exists in many library collections, can damage the lungs, mucous membranes, cornea, respiratory tract, stomach, intestine and skin. Hence it is essential to identify suitable methods to isolate culture and identify fungus species in local conditions. Most of the techniques available in the related fields of biology and microbiology to identify fungal species have limited applicability in identification of fungi in audiovisual materials. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find out suitable mediq to culture fungi varieties found in audiovisual library collections in Sri Lanka. A structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument for the gathering of data from the sample. 49 Special libraries and 20 academic libraries were randomly selected for this study and based on the data gathered and subjected to the permission given by authorities five libraries were selected for case studies. During the case studies, 30 fungi samples from three different environments were collected. All of these samples were positive on direct microscopy and culturing on five different culture media was carried out. As all these cultures except control tests were failed to yield fungal hypae, it was concluded that fungi varieties found in various audiovisual collections are unable to grow in used five types of media and a special media may be needed to culture them.