RADIATION DISINFECTION OF LIBRARY BOOKS: DETERMINING THE REQUIRED DISINFECTION DOSE

The National and University Library in Zagreb is four hundred years old and has for the past one hundred and fifty years fulfilled its dual function as the national library of Croatia and the main library of the University of Zagreb. The library’s primary role is to collect, cataloge, process, archive, protect, preserve and provide access to its collection. The library’s collection is estimated to contain 3.5 million items. The physical collection occupies more than 120 000 metres of shelving. Most paper based objects are stored on mobile shelves, some in protective enclosures and boxes. Heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning systems establish more or less constant environmental conditions and clean air in the storage areas in order to maintain an environment that prevents the collection from deteriorating. The National and University Library has a number of guidelines and procedures in place to limit damage. A large number of books from several libraries in central Croatia whose buildings suffered significant damage during earthquakes in 2020 are also stored in the National and University Library, as are surplus and duplicate materials (on shelves or in boxes on pallets), but without air‑conditioning in the areas in which the collection is stored.