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An Exploration of the Digitisation Strategies of the Liberation Archives of the African National Congress in South Africa
Abstract
Despite the availability of guidelines, standards, and software developed by national archives, professional associations, research groups and commercial organizations, digital records are still a challenge to manage, especially in Africa. A number of digitization projects undertaken by archival organizations in Africa failed to realize their goals of ensuring preservation and access of records. This is partially due to lack of strategies to migrate from analog to digital records. This study explored the strategies adopted by the African National Congress (ANC) in digitizing its liberation archives with the aim of capturing lessons learnt. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with purposively selected employees of the ANC, MultiChoice, Africa Media Online, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation as they were involved in the digitization project of the liberation archives. The results revealed that the ANC established an archives management committee to lead the implementation of digitization of the liberation archives. Furthermore, the ANC relied heavily on the companies MultiChoice and Africa Media Online, as its archivists were not trained for the digitization of archives. A number of lessons learnt with regard to the digitization of liberations archives are captured. The study concludes by demonstrating the importance of having a strategy in digitizing archival holdings. It is recommended that this study should be extended to other liberation movements in eastern and southern Africa. Furthermore, a study on determining the authenticity of digitized liberation archives is recommended.
... The study's objective was to analyse the knowledge and skills among records personnel at the two state universities. Netshakhuma (2016) holds that managing digital records is a new challenge that requires technical skills and knowledge. There is no doubt that the levels of skills and competences for managing digital records and archives cannot be overemphasised. ...
... Records managers and archivists are the sole professionals in the field of records and archives management and as such are the contributors to the well-being of the digital recordkeeping. "Managing digital records and archives requires the employment of qualified records managers and archivists with high levels of expertise in records and archives management" (Netshakhuma 2016). ...
This study analyses the knowledge and skills for managing digital records at selected state universities in Zimbabwe. State universities are becoming centres of digital records creation facilitated by the advent of ICTs. However, records management personnel remain a marginal community with some noticeable knowledge and skills gaps in managing such records in their institutions. These gaps resulted in records management personnel being excluded from matters concerning digital technology as state universities in Zimbabwe drive towards innovation and industrialisation to achieve Education 5.0 and the government’s Vision 2030. Lack of knowledge and skills among records management personnel at state universities is worrisome, even though there are records and archives management training programmes in various institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe. The primary purpose of this article is to explore the implication of lack of knowledge and skills, with an intention to bridge this gap among records and archives management personnel in state universities. Data were collected from the Zimbabwe Open University and Harare Institute of Technology. A mixed methods research design was used to ascertain the knowledge and skills for managing digital records at the selected state universities. The study found that state universities still employed records and archives personnel who were not trained, although institutions of higher learning, including polytechnics and universities, are offering records and archives training programmes and churned out hundreds of records and archives professionals each year. Therefore, the study recommends that state universities should change their recruitment policy and employ qualified records and archives management personnel to manage records in this digital era.
... Climate and environmental conditions in certain regions have also presented preservation challenges for audiovisual materials like film reels and magnetic tapes. Without proper storage facilities and climate control measures, these materials are at risk of deterioration (Netshakhuma, 2016). Furthermore, many archives have faced a shortage of trained staff with expertise in audiovisual preservation and digitization techniques, impeding effective efforts to digitize and archive materials. ...
In the age of Society 5.0, marked by the profound integration of digital technologies and human society, the preservation and management of audiovisual archives in Africa face substantial challenges. The application of artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in the establishment of digital archives in the society 5.0. The exponential growth of digital content, combined with the continent's diverse cultural landscape, presents complex obstacles to conventional archival practices. Without the effective implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, crucial aspects such as curation, accessibility and sustainable management of audiovisual archives in Africa remain hindered. Thus, the overarching problem under scrutiny pertains to how the establishment of intelligent archives, facilitated by AI, can offer innovative solutions for preserving and managing audiovisual archives in Africa, within the overarching framework of Society 5.0. This approach has the potential to significantly contribute to safeguarding Africa's rich cultural heritage and advancing research, education and cultural exchange. The purpose of this paper will be to focus on the challenges encountered by selected African countries , such as the ESARBICA countries and those that undertake environmental conservation projects, in managing their audiovisual collections and what can be done to facilitate AI. It resulted in the formulation of a framework for implementing smart archives using AI in African contexts, emphasizing practical strategies and best practices. A qualitative approach enabled a nuanced understanding of complex dynamics at play. Through the observation of AI integration processes, by means of desktop analyses of websites of African national archives and online interest groups showcasing nature conservation projects and initiatives, this article aims to capture a comprehensive picture of the current landscape and future possibilities.
... The National Archives of Zimbabwe Act of 1986 does not adequately cover the management of digital records and archives, as stated by Dube (2011), Mutsagondo and Chaterera (2016) and Huni and Dewah (2019). In order to determine the level of professional training among records staff, Netshakhuma (2016) holds that digitisation is a new challenge, which requires technical skills and knowledge. Tsvuura and Mutsagondo (2015) emphasise that institutions must identify the characteristics of the knowledge and skills required by individual staff members that would capacitate them to undertake their duties and responsibilities effectively. ...
This study focused on the digitisation of records and archives at two selected state universities in Zimbabwe, namely Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) and Harare Institute of Technology (HIT). The specific objective was to evaluate the legal and statutory frameworks for managing the digitisation of records and archives at the state universities. The legislative and statutory imperatives in Zimbabwe, the exponential growth in digitised records and archiving in the state universities and the lack of capacity of records personnel with regard to the management of digital records and archives, motivated this study. The records of the state universities are stored on network servers that the university can access. However, individual users are often able to copy or move them to individual desktops and portable devices that are beyond the university’s control. The study adopted a mixed methods convergent parallel research design and collected data through questionnaires and interviews. The data collection instruments provided both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed using the SPSS analytical software package, while qualitative data were organised into broad themes and the content reported in narrative form. The findings were that both respondents and participants understand the records management functions in their universities and both state universities are busy creating policies and procedures for the digitisation of records and archives in their business transactions. The findings further indicated that the two state universities were digitising their records and archives using untrained personnel. Legislation, policies, and standards and procedures were not enforced. This exposed the materials to major threats and risks in terms of their integrity, security and authenticity. The study recommended that there the legal and statutory frameworks must be formulated, implemented and enforced to cater for the digitisation of records and archives at state universities in Zimbabwe.
Purpose
The study aims to investigate the current electronic records management practices in government departments of South Africa to establish the extent to which they foster service delivery in public service reform programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied a systematic literature review approach to critically appraise the published literature on the status of records management in South Africa, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
Findings
The findings indicate that the South African public sector encounters challenges such as a lack of skills in managing electronic records, management support, resources and legislative frameworks and policies. The study’s findings revealed that although electronic records are essential for service delivery in South Africa, the existing records management programme is not efficient and effective and does not sufficiently comply with legislative and statutory requirements.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to the public sector of South Africa.
Practical implications
This study recommends the development of policy frameworks and strategies aligned with the organisational goals and facilitation of professional training for all staff, including attendance of seminars, workshops and workplace training.
Social implications
The research demonstrates the need for a comprehensive legislative and policy framework, robust integration of electronic records practices in government e-government efforts, and adequate technological infrastructure support.
Originality/value
This study offers informed recommendations to address the challenges of managing electronic records in South African public sector organisations that continue to be a cause for concern.
The paper gave an empirical assessment of the role played by the United Nations (UN) on the repatriation of the African National Congress (ANC) liberation archives from all over the world back to South Africa. The paper employed a case study design. Data were collected through interviews and analysis of documents. The study found that little role was played by the UN to enforce international treaties or conventions to member states to repatriate ANC missing liberation archives from countries such as Italy and Spain. The study concluded that ANC is to engage in bilateral and multilateral relations to influence the repatriation of liberation archives.
This study assessed the preservation of cultural heritage materials in selected universities in South Africa with a view of recommending the best preservation method. Particularly, it examined the availability of a preservation policy at the University of Witwatersrand, the types and format of cultural heritage materials held by the University, the major preservation challenges facing the University and to make recommendations for the effective management and preservation of all materials held by the University. The study established that indeed there is a lack of a preservation policy and challenges with regards to the management of cultural heritage in South Africa.
The research aims to analyse the alliance of archive, library and museum (ALM) at the Kruger National Park with regards to compliance with legislations, ALM’s role in education and the adoption of information and communication technology. A qualitative method was used to collect data. The research found that most of the participants were not aware of the legislations governing ALM in South Africa. ALM was not fully utilised for educational activities to enhance knowledge management; there is a low rate of adoption of information and communication technology as an enabler to provide education. Hopefully, this study will help to formulate research agendas to address societal challenges, such as adopting the policies which will have a positive impact on the implementation of ALM policies.
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the Section 12 of the Political Party Funding Act No. 6 of 2018 of South Africa with a view of recommending good records management practice.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a literature review and an analysis of political funding access to information and records management literatures.
Findings
The study found that a lack of good records management practice is hindering transparency in government practice in South Africa. Furthermore, the enactment of the Political Party Funding Act No. 6 of 2018 has created the potential for South Africa political parties to start applying good records management practices.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited to Section 12 of the political parties funding Act No 6 of 2018 to promote accountability transparency.
Practical implications
The effective implementation of the Political Party Funding Act, 2018 will contribute to the preservation of records with financial, historical and cultural values.
Social implications
The implementation of the Political Party Funding Act No. 6 of 2018 Section 12 is expected to lead an open, transparent and accountable South African society through the establishment of a a records management programme.
Originality/value
This paper raises important considerations around ensuring compliance and accountability in government recordkeeping within the context of recent legislation. While discussion around the importance and use of records management is not new, the legislation brings an opportunity for fresh discussion within a national political context.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of volunteerism during the digitisation project by the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga with a view recommending the best practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical data was collected through the semi-structured qualitative interviews with the records manager and ten volunteer archivists employed by the Office of the Premier.
Findings
Local pupils within the Mpumalanga province were recruited to participate in the digitisation project as a form of youth empowerment. The Mpumalanga Provincial Archives was not involved in the digitisation project to ensure that all digitisation specification was in line with the requirement of the provincial archives. Furthermore, a lack of resources to implement the digitisation project was cited as the main stamping block for the successful implementation of the project.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to the Office of the premier, in the Mpumalanga province.
Practical implications
Archivists interested in recruiting volunteers on a digitisation project can use this paper to understand the benefits and cost of volunteer labor before putting volunteer projects into practice.
Social implications
The success of a digitisation project depends on the involvement of the Mpumalanga Provincial archives.
Originality/value
This paper presents a unique case study in South Africa of a digitisation project staffed with volunteers in the office of the Premier.
The aim of this study is to discuss the importance of understanding international copyright laws as it relates to the digitization of records created in different countries and operating under different laws. It will also present empirical research findings on compliance with the principles of copyright- related to the digitization of the African National Congress Archives, such as, the international copyright laws or the South Africa Copyright Act (No. 98 of 1978). The paper used a qualitative method that allowed the triangulation of data collection methods or enhanced reliability and validity of the research finding. Interview data was augmented through interviews, document analysis and observation. The findings revealed that the African National Congress (ANC) adhered to some of the principles of copyright law during the digitization process. The study concludes that any organization that embarked on the digitization project must comply with copyright legislation. Furthermore, the implementation of digitization requires partnerships between project owners and technological companies.
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the role of archives in documenting African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) records on the liberation struggle of South Africa from 1960 to 1990 with a view to recommending the best method of collection and preservation of archival materials.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data were collected through interviews with purposively selected employees of the African National Congress (ANC), the Nelson Mandela Foundation centre of memory, the national heritage and cultural studies at the University of Fort Hare, the National Archives of South Africa and provincial archives of South Africa. Interview data were augmented through content analysis of ANC documents such as policies, websites and annual reports.
Findings
The study found a gap of documentation of the role of archives in documenting ANCWL’s contribution to the liberation of South Africa. The National Archives of South Africa did not play a meaningful role to document the history of African National Women’s League in the liberation struggle of South Africa. There was also a lack of coordination of community archives that keep ANCWL archives materials. There is a need to embark on oral history and bilateral relations with overseas archival institutions to repatriate ANCWL archives to South Africa. Furthermore, contemporary history records about the ANCWL records need to be listed, arranged and described and made available to the public.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to the role played by the National Archives of South Africa and community archives such as the ANC archives, the Mayibuye Centre archives based at the University of Western Cape in documenting ANC and ANCWL and contemporary issues that impact the development of ANCWL records created from 1960 to 1990.
Practical implications
The findings are expected to be instrumental to document the history of women’s struggle for democracy in South Africa. The ANCWL collection may contribute to social cohesion to enable society to understand the role of ANCWL during the struggle for democracy in South Africa. While the literature on women’s archives is limited, there is still much research that needs to be conducted. Increasing the body of research will strengthen understanding of the role of the National Archives of South Africa and community archives on documenting women’s liberation struggle in South Africa.
Social implications
The document of women’s history would enrich the archival collection. This means that records with historical, cultural and social significance will be permanently preserved by archives.
Originality/value
The research appears to be the first of its kind to assess the documentation on the role of archives on documenting ANCWL. The archival heritage of women’s struggle for democracy forms part of the national archival heritage of South Africa as they bridge the gap of undocumented history of South Africa.
This presentation sets the technological context and describes the legislative and regulatory framework within which records professionals manage digital records in the cloud environment
As a celebration of Anne Thurston's pioneering work on records and archives management as an essential basis for demonstrating integrity in government, this excellent volume brings together scholars and practicing archivists to discuss key issues around records as evidence for accountability, transparency and the protection of citizens’ rights. Never before have authors from the developing and developed worlds come together to explore the intersection of records management, public administration and international development. The book covers Thurston's work, the importance of records management for effective governance and digital records management and preservation in developing countries. Case studies from across Africa enhance the theoretical and practical perspectives taken by the authors. This book is essential reading for scholars and students interested in records management and good governance around the world.
South Africa's legal and regulatory environment is complex and has a long history. Public institutions in South Africa have to comply with a number of legal and regulatory provisions that relate to the management of records. Technology developments have seen the emergence of digital records that have brought such challenges as: how to define records, how to differentiate an original from copy and how to manage the archival custody of digital records. In addition records professionals are confronted with challenges brought about by the ubiquitous nature of cloud computing. This article explores challenges in managing digital records within the context of South Africa's legislative and regulatory framework.
This contribution seeks to highlight the plight of liberation movement records in eastern and southern Africa in an endeavour to raise awareness on the need for their sound management as they constitute an irreplaceable heritage. The struggle to liberate the eastern and southern African region was an important epoch in contemporary history. It follows then that this history needs to be accurately captured for posterity's sake. The archives generated were of differing types and status which reflected the diverse nature of the struggle itself. As a result, records were created from within and outside Africa to document this historic epoch from the 1950s to the 1990s and these records have to be made available to the public for research, scholarship and general interest as they are a treasured national asset. The main thrust of our argument is that in carrying out the documentation of these records, efforts should be made to ensure that a continuum of care is provided in terms of records' identification and acquisition, intellectual control, access and physical control.
Experience and observations have revealed that most archives and libraries in Africa today are filled with materials recorded in analogue formats and the traditional or analogue librarians and archivists are those who are still carrying out the tasks of acquiring, organizing, and preserving the print documents and helping the readers in locating the information they need.
In developing countries this picture has rapidly changed due to the influence of advances in computer technology. The physical materials are gradually giving way to electronic print, and online public access catalogue (OPAC) is obliterating the needs for users to physically visit the library or archives buildings to access their collections. Traditionally, librarians and archivists have been analogue information providers for centuries, but today they have the opportunities to use modern technologies to provide quicker, accurate and more sophisticated services to users. Since then, archiving of digital materials as well as creating digital archives is an emerging practice of today’s archival profession. This is made feasible by technological advancement which provides greater opportunities and challenges to librarians, archivists and information professionals. Technology has made information which was traditionally provided in paper prints to be digitized, preserved and made available and accessible to users in electronic format.
The proliferation of electronic information; the dwindling budget for acquisition of library stocks; the desire to access materials in remote locations; the quest for collaboration, partnerships and resource sharing; and the ever increasing cost of preserving analogue materials, and so on , are some of the forces that prompted digitization of archives and records. Omekwu (2009) aptly observed that the transient nature of many web resources calls for practice that ensure that information of instrumental value is accessed, acquired and archived electronically for reference and research purposes. This paradigm shift from traditional medium to electronic format has tasked modern archivists, especially with regard to digital preservation, accessibility, copyrights and the issue of intellectual property rights. In view of this development, for archivists and librarians in Africa to keep afloat with this modern trends, they need to be prepared
The struggle to liberate the continent of Africa from colonialism during the second half of the twentieth century represented an important epoch and as such this history needs to be documented accurately in whatever form for the benefit of posterity. Liberation struggle archives are of differing types and status, which reflects the diverse nature of the struggle itself. In consequence, records were created from within and outside Africa to document this historic epoch from the 1950s to the 1990s and these records have to be made available to the public for research, scholarship and general interest as they are a treasured national asset.
It is the mandate of archivists to provide a means for future generations to access historical sources and the purpose of this study was to ascertain whether liberation struggle archives are being offered the continuum of care throughout their lifecycle which would make such access possible. The study used both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. The study used methodological triangulation in order to capture the phenomenon under study in detail. Due to the fact that the study population was geographically dispersed, the study employed self-administered questionnaires for data gathering and also used unstructured interviews and observations. The researcher administered an interview schedule to heads of archival institutions within the east and southern African region. To complement the interviewing, an observation schedule was also used to record phenomena at selected archival institutions.
The data collected using qualitative techniques was content analyzed whilst the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for quantitative data. The study unearthed some interesting developments. Liberation struggle archives had been identified and the requisite documentation put in place. This was evidenced by the restitution of archives which was an ongoing process albeit a problematic one. This process gives the overall picture that the liberation struggle was a global event as records are scattered in different parts of the world. The records so created are of varied nature as the media used to capture the record exists in a variety of forms with photographs predominant. The study also discovered that the arrangement of records was being done by qualified personnel, both archivists and manuscript librarians. In their efforts to promote access, most archival institutions were employing a combination of finding aids with inventories and summary lists the most popular.
Furthermore, the existence of mechanisms, policies and procedures facilitates archival management practices. The present research established that all archival institutions had mission statements and these explicitly spelt out the mandate of the organizations. For some institutions, these existed in written format. Formal polices were generally in existence but were calibrated at various levels depending on an institution’s collection priorities. In this instance, the policy pertaining to digitization of liberation struggle archives was held in high regard and this explains why the majority of archival institutions preferred electronic media for duplicate copies. This preference points to the pervasive influence of digital technology. Archival institutions were liberal in their publication requirements though users had to acknowledge the institution as the source. The major challenge in the management of liberation struggle records was the processing backlogs.
In addition, the study sought to establish whether archival institutions were providing resources in order to promote an environment conjucive to prolonging the useable life of liberation struggle archives. The infrastructure in terms of knowledgeable and skilled personnel was in existence as the need for an academic background from which archival skills could be developed was given priority. The expertise in preservation management was mostly invested in disaster planning and recovery, holdings maintenance and preservation planning. It was also established that the majority of archival institutions had a visitors’ register in place although its administration lacked consistency. The majority of archival institutions had air conditioning though maintenance records were non-existent. It was also noted that fumigation was prevalent and that restorative work was being done by the majority of institutions with the traditional technique the most popular.
Equally important was the need to establish the preservation needs of the surveyed archival institutions. The study revealed that digitization was the most widely used preservation strategy and the majority of archival institutions had purpose-built storage. Fire was considered the biggest threat to archival collections and the disaster plan mostly covered records, the physical building and the evacuation of people. Fire detection systems were in place and archival institutions were making use of their respective local fire departments to raise fire precautionary awareness and readiness. Security measures were generally in place though the use of Close Circuit Television (CCTV), cameras and alarm systems was not pronounced.
Furthermore, the study identified that information communication technologies had a transformative influence on the management of liberation struggle archives. The majority of the institutions were digitizing their collections though there was no written policy for managing these digital records. It was also established that most archival institutions were not migrating their records. Technological obsolescence and lack of resources were considered by most institutions as constituting the major threats to the survival of digital records and this could be the reason why donor assistance was sought as evidenced by the state of the art equipment on digitization infrastructure observed in visited institutions.
Equally significant was the revelation that inherent semantic ambiguities existed in the legislative apparatus of the majority of archival institutions which explains why there was much passivity when it came to managing private records. The study further established that the management of private records was not satisfactory and areas noted for concern pertained to the arrangement, storage and custody, finding aids and access relating to these records.
Finally, the study put forward a number of recommendations that had to be considered in attempt to help archival institutions professionally manage liberation struggle archives and two are cited here simply because they are encapsulate others. Firstly, the legislative apparatus had to be modernized in order for liberation struggle archives to be taken care of at national and not organizational level as is presently the case. The implication is that the laws that govern the national archives of countries within ESARBICA are wholly inadequate when it comes to the management of the private record. Lastly, the records continuum model was recommended simply because of its holistic approach, pragmatism and the fact that it is technologically driven.
This paper will focus on the challenges and opportunities of digitisation and how digital preservation stands as the next frontier that awaits archivists as they traverse the digitisation experience. Zimbabwean Archivists must be aware of the challenges that inadvertently arise with any digitisation project. In particular, the enormous costs and time involved; the gap in professional skills and training, obsolescence of digitisation technologies, a vacuum in institutional infrastructure and indistinct strategies for a holistic programme for preserving the digitised materials. As a consequence most digitisation projects are foreign donor funded and regrettably exhibit a lack of skills and technological transfer to local archivists. Recommendations to the National Archives of Zimbabwe to consider working partnerships with on-going digitisation programmes in the region and collaborate with regional partners to ensure that future digitisation projects are home-grown and sustainable in the long-term.
The struggle to liberate the continent of Africa from colonialism during the second half of the twentieth century represented an important epoch and, as such, this history needs to be documented in whatever form for the benefit of posterity and for all, irrespective of class, as the struggle for independence was a collective effort. Accordingly, east and southern Africa's liberation struggles have been well documented over the past few decades and the efforts are still ongoing and gathering momentum as a consequence of the onset of digital technologies as custodians of this heritage battle to move with the times in search of permanence. Custodians of this unique and irreplaceable heritage are mostly political parties that spearheaded the struggle for emancipation. Ironically very few of these liberation movements possess proper archives and much of the primary material such as manuscripts, letters, photographs, publications, tapes etc is in the custody of individuals’ private archives (Mazarire 2009).
The aim of this study was to assess preservation practices at the Records and Archives Management Department (RAMD) in Tanzania and to make recommendations aimed at ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of archives held at RAMD. The population of the study consisted of the Director of RAMD, two Assistant Directors, ten Senior Records Officers, two Records Officers, three Senior Records Management Assistants, three Principal Records Management Assistants and one Records Management Assistant. The data collection instruments included questionnaires, interviews, observation and content analysis. Qualitative data analysis was used to gain a better understanding of the issues under investigation. The findings indicated that legislation relating to the preservation of archives in Tanzania is not comprehensive enough and that RAMD lacks a preservation policy; preserves only paper-based materials; experiences a shortage of storage equipment; holds records under poor environmental conditions; lacks proper archival handling; carries out inadequate housekeeping practices; lacks adequate security and disaster preparedness measures; has inadequate conservation and restoration facilities; is underfunded; and lacks trained and experienced conservators. The study recommends amendments to the Records and Archives Management Act No. 3 of 2002; the formulation of a conservation policy; improvements in housekeeping practices and handling practices; and effective monitoring of temperature and relative humidity.
The importance of curriculum development on archives and records management in the digital era, especially on the African continent, cannot be overemphasized. While many universities in the global hub have included studies on all aspects of archives and records management programs with many emphasizing records created in networked environments, the same cannot be said about universities on the African continent. In Africa, education and training of archives and records professionals can be traced back several decades. Archives and records practitioners in Africa’s different countries have, over the years, taken varying paths to attain their professional qualifications. This study outlines progress on an ongoing study by InterPARES Trust Africa Team that examines the curricula in different African educational institutions and investigates the extent to which they address the increasingly complex environment that includes the management of digital records in networked environments. It is hoped that the study will inform curriculum development and review in the area of digital records at the institutions of higher learning in Africa.
The media for recording information has evolved over time. In the past, stone, wood, metal, clay and paper served as information storage media. Developments in science and technology over the past two centuries have now necessitated the transition from paperbased formats to a variety of media and further deepened the challenges of materials preservation. Increasingly, information is now in electronic multi-media form occasioned by its creation, storage and dissemination in picture, sound, text or combination of these. Information resources in the electronic era now range or exist in the form of simple text-based files such as word processing files, to highly sophisticated web-based resources such as databases, websites, mails and storage mediums such as diskettes, flush drives, CD
ROMs and others. This paper documents work undertaken to assess the current practices for heritage digital materials preservation in Botswana with a view to identifying strategies and policy issues for the long-term preservation of digital materials. The study sought to
establish the current situation regarding digital materials preservation in national archives, libraries, museums, media organizations and other public institutions involved in the creation, collection, and storage of heritage materials. It also investigated the institutional
capacities (human and material) for collection, storage and preservation, and provision of access to digital information in Botswana. The paper further makes several recommendations on the policies and strategies for improving the state of national digital material preservation in Botswana. Keywords : Botswana, National digital material, Preservation ESARBICA Vol. 27 2008: pp. 171-202
Some public entities in South Africa have implemented digital records systems over a period of 20 years. In terms of the South African archival legal framework, there is a need for such entities to transfer the records into archival custody. However, there is consensus among researchers that there is no infrastructure to ingest digital records into archival custody in South Africa. Furthermore, some public entities have migrated from one system to another since implementation and there is a possibility that records might have been lost during migration. This study demonstrates through literature review the unconscious archival orthodoxy of post-custodial realities in South Africa. The study recommends that public entities should apply for exemption from archival legislation in order to develop an interim solution for the preservation of digital records. The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) is also encouraged to develop a policy on distributed custody to allow government entities to create interim solutions for preserving digital records. Both public entities and NARSSA should invest in capacity development, including training and provision of sustainable infrastructure required to preserve digital records. It is hoped that this study will influence policy-making with regard to custody of digital records.
This article describes the developments in The Netherlands to establish a national Network for Digital Heritage. This network is based on three pillars: to make the digital heritage visible, usable, and sustainably preserved. Three working programs will have their own but integrated set of dedicated actions in order to create a national infrastructure in The Netherlands, based on an optimal use of existing facilities. In this article the focus is on the activities related to the sustainable preservation of the Dutch national digital heritage.
The archives of Trinity College Dublin represent the corporate, administrative, and cultural memory of the university. This hybrid collection presents several challenges in relation to its management and long-term preservation. Appropriate storage conditions are vital for analogue records, as is the exercise over them of physical and intellectual control. However, born-digital archival records require the preservation of not only their data, but also evidence of their authenticity. For archivists, meeting these preservation challenges necessitates the integration of digital preservation strategies into traditional archival practices, advocacy of good records management, as well as close co-operation with legal and IT professionals.
Current challenges regarding the frame of reference and control of African digitisation projects pose serious questions about their future direction. The author suggests practical strategies aimed at mainstreaming resources and increasing African control, including the need for readers of Innovation – librarians, information scientists, archivists, and historians – to engage in the
"politics" of securing this control. By maintaining ethical approaches and flexibility, by listening closely to priorities of African partners, by continuing to
initiate worthwhile projects in the North yet also practically supporting African initiatives and by directing limited-end pilot projects towards mainstreaming,we can help to turn expropriation of African resources towards the harvesting of
African (and Northern-based) resources for mutually beneficial use.
The struggle to liberate southern Africa was an important epoch in contemporary history. It follows then that this history must be preserved for posterity's sake. Of late, there has been a concerted effort by academics and archivists to preserve, digitize and disseminate on the web the "struggle archives" of southern Africa. The wide range of material reflects the diverse nature of the struggle; liberation was achieved by violent as well as non-violent means. The digitization of such records reinforces the view that these archives are part of Africa's heritage to be bequeathed to future generations and that they should be jealously guarded because they are a treasured resource. In carrying out the digitization exercise there is a need to exercise extreme caution in view of the lack of permanence of digital objects and the challenges posed by access and copyright restrictions. The issue that needs to be addressed centres on the commodification of African heritage by those with the financial and technological muscle, whilst the purported beneficiaries are left impoverished due to a lack of ownership and sustainability. In other words, through digitization Africa's cultural heritage is made vulnerable to commercial exploitation by people in the North, and the entrenchment of the digital divide.
This article addresses the extent to which Web 2.0 technologies may be used to make the liberation struggle heritage available to the public in archival institutions in the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA). The advent of web technologies provides a window of opportunity for archival institutions within ESARBICA to improve their public image. While social media technologies can have a transformative influence, they have to be the right technology for the right place and the right people. In addition, archivists need to find innovative strategies to use these technologies depending on what is affordable on their part and for users.
The digital revolution has dramatically increased the ability of individuals and corporations to appropriate and profit from the cultural knowledge of indigenous peoples, which is largely unprotected by existing intellectual property law. In response, legal scholars, anthropologists, and native activists now propose new legal regimes designed to defend indigenous cultures by radically expanding the notion of copyright. Unfortunately, these proposals are often informed by romantic assumptions that ignore the broader crisis of intellectual property and the already imperiled status of the public domain. This essay offers a skeptical assessment of legal schemes to control cultural appropriation-in particular, proposals that indigenous peoples should be permitted to copyright ideas rather than their tangible expression and that such protections should exist in perpetuity. Also examined is the pronounced tendency of intellectual property debate to preempt urgently needed reflection on the political viability of special-rights regimes in pluralist democracies and on the appropriateness of using copyright law to enforce respect for other cultures.
Purpose
To examine the reasons behind, and issues involved in digitisation projects at archival repositories.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses practical examples from the University of Dundee Archive Services to consider why archivists devote time and resources to digitising collections and to mounting digital images online. Advantages to collections, services and users are considered in the context of the archival mission and user expectations.
Findings
Despite the need to divert existing resources or to attract new ones, digitisation is becoming a core activity in many archives.
Originality/value
The paper should be of value to information professionals interested in the use of new technology by the archival profession. Many of the issues raised are cross‐sectoral and not just of interest to the archival world but to anyone with a role in preserving and using records.
This paper describes the history of an initiative to digitize a postcolonial archive on the struggle for freedom in Southern Africa. The authors outline the intellectual architecture of the project and the complex epistemological, political, and technical challenges that they confronted in their endeavor to construct a digital archive that might help reorient scholarly debates on the struggle for liberation.
There are well-funded national schemes that involve cross-domain partnerships, linking archives, libraries and museums. The North Yorkshire Unnetie Digitisation Project (www.northyorks.gov.uk/unnetie) is a much smaller co-operative digitisation undertaking. It started with very little experience of collaboration with partners, less funding and originally no idea of the process. Helped by the New Opportunities Fund and Resource, the library service is working with a County Record Office, a museum and a local history society to digitise the little-known archive of a local photographer to provide a searchable Web site of images alongside several storylines illustrating life in the region in the mid-twentieth century. The project team has been supported by these partners, overcoming lack of knowledge and various obstacles, such as the lack of commitment on the part of the IT developers. The benefits of working with colleagues were immeasurable and the relationships that have been built up will continue. This experience shows that what is needed is enthusiasm, energy, perseverance and the will to talk to associates in the same field.
This paper reviews the status of e-records management in East and Southern Africa. The region faces major challenges with regards to the management of records and archives due to historical, political, cultural, managerial and technological factors. This paper examines the e-records readiness in institutions with statutory responsibility for records and the implications of e-records management for governance. The paper also suggests ways to rectify the e-records management problems in the East and Southern Africa member countries.
Digitisation involves conversion from analog to digital. With the boom in the information technologies and also with the changes in the retrieval of information need arises to convert the heritage into digital form. This paper discusses Digitisation, its need and how to preserve the digitised documents.
The history and Politics of Liberation archives at Fort Hare. 2010. U of Cape Town
- L B Maaba
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