Library collection deterioration: a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A survey of bound items in the bookstacks of the University of Illinois library at Urbana-Champaign was conducted following the methodology used in the 1979 survey of the Green Library stacks at Stanford University. A reliable random sampling technique was used. The survey found that 37.0% of the items at Illinois are seriously deteriorated (paper is embrittled), 33.6% are moderately deteriorated (paper is becoming brittle), and 29.4% are in good condition (paper shows no signs of deterioration). The total cost of the survey was $1,845.45 (excluding permanent staff salaries). The methodology can be adapted by other libraries for collection condition surveys