Digital Preservation Readiness of Legal Deposit Materials at the Msunduzi Municipal Library in KwaZulu-Natal

Zibusisozami Nozibusiso Mpanza; Lungile Luthuli; Trywell Kalusopa

doi:10.25159/2663-659X/14061

Authors

Zibusisozami Nozibusiso Mpanza University of Zululand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3180-7432
Lungile Luthuli University of Zululand
Trywell Kalusopa University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-659X/14061

Keywords:

Msunduzi Municipal Library, KwaZulu-Natal., digitisation, digital preservation, legal deposit, readiness, digitally preserved materials

Abstract

This paper aims to explore a digital preservation program readiness of legal deposit materials at the Msunduzi Municipal Library in KwaZulu-Natal. It looks at the readiness to undertake the digital preservation programme, whether they meet the requirements for digital preservation programme in order to undertake it, and if the staff members have skills and competencies for digital preservation. It also checked if they have enough storage capacity for digital preservation program. A qualitative research method was adopted and used a case study research design. The semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth data from each participant, and analysed it using a thematic analysis. The targeted population were all 15 digitization section employees from the Msunduzi Municipal Library and all participated giving 100%.

The findings revealed that the Msunduzi Municipal Library seemed ready to undertake the digital preservation programme. The library was found facing challenges such as a lack of storage server to store and back-up digitally preserved materials, a lack of funds, a lack of in-service training for its staff, faulty and or non-functioning digitization machines, a lack of adequate maintenance of equipment, and a lack of enough equipment in preparation for digital preservation programme. It was discovered that the Msunduzi Municipal Library met the requirements for digital preservation programme in order to undertake it but some few staff members did not think it met the requirements for digital preservation programme, simply because they lacked storage server.

This paper recommends that Msunduzi Municipal Library and other institutions preparing for the digital preservation programmes should hire staff with relevant skills and competencies for digital preservation, and also engage in in-service training of their staff, especially those lacking these skills and competences.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Allen, C.E. 2006. “Foundations for a Successful Digital Preservation Program: Discussions from Digital Preservation in State Government: Best Practices Exchange,” RLG DigiNews 10 (3) 3. http://www.worldcat.org/arcviewer/1/OCC/2007/08/08/0000070519/viewer/file1011.html#article0

Kenney, A. R., and Rieger, O. Y.. 2000. Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Image for Libraries And Archive. Mountain View, CA: Research Libraries Group

Cornell University Library/Research Departments. 2000. “Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Image for Libraries and Archives.” Research Libraries Group. Accessed August 2021. http://www.library.cornell.edu/preservation/totorial

El Idrissi, B. 2019. “Long-Term Digital Preservation: A Preliminary Study on Software and Format Obsolescence.” In Proceedings of the ArabWIC 6th Annual International Conference Research Track. 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1145/3333165.3333178

Gbaje, E. S. 2007. “Digitization and its Challenges: Digital Records and Archival Management Workshop for members Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Archives and History Bureau Committee and Liaison Officers.” Arewa House, Kaduna. 3–9.

Hammond, M. and C. Davies. 2009. “Understanding the Costs of Digitization: Detail Report.” JISC. Accessed 8 April 2019. Available:http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/digitisation/digitisation-costs-full.pdf

Jones, S. 2018. “Preserved for Posterity? Present Bias and the Status of Grindhouse Films in the ‘Home Cinema’ Era.” Journal of Film and Video 70 (1): 3–16. https://doi.org/10.5406/jfilmvideo.70.1.0003

Jones, T. 2001. “An Introduction to Digital Projects for Libraries, Museums and Archives.” University Library: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Accessed 27 July 2018. http://www.library.illinois.edu/dcc/resources/introduction.html

Kanndppanavar, B. U., S. T. Rajanikanta, & S. K. Tandur. 2010. “Importance of Digitization of Library Materials.” SRELS J Inf Manage 47 (1), 61–70.

Kanyengo, C. W.2009. “Managing Digital Information Resources in Africa: Preserving the Integrity of Scholarship.” The International Information & Library Review 41: 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572317.2009.10762795

McGovern, N. Y. 2007. “A Digital Decade: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going in Digital Preservation?” RLG DigiNews 11 (1). Accessed August 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/60441

Msunduzi Municipality. 2018. “Msunduzi Municipality Libraries.” Accessed 3 July 2018. http://www.msunduzi.gov.za/site/librariescontactdetails

Nyide, B., C. 2014 “The Digitization of Theses and Dissertations at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.” Masters diss., University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Oliver, M. 2015. “Digitization: Why you Should be Leading the Charge.” Slide Share, 19 February. Accessed 20 March 2019. https://www.slideshare.net/MganOliverMLIS/digitization-44897862?qid=be13f718-86a6-47f4-b590-1cb5f28416d7&v=&b=&from_search=35

Otubelu. N., and Ume, L. E. 2015. “Digitization of Library Resources in Academic Libraries: Challenges and Implications.” IOSR Journal of Mobile Computing and Application 2 (2): 35–40.

Shelembe, N. 2021. “Preparedness for Digitization Projects in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Information Providing Agencies” Masters diss., Durban University of Technology.