DIGITIZATION OF UGANDA’S MUSICAL CULTURAL HERITAGE: LESSONS FROM MAKERERE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DIGITAL ARCHIVE

This paper documents the learning experience of the Makerere University Digital Music Archive. It focuses on issues of digitizing sound, intellectual property management, and sustainability. Abrupt technological changes have rendered certain media obsolete hence limited access to music information. Project tasks included identification, selection, preparation of materials, and collection of basic descriptive metadata to allow retrieval. Internationally recognized standard were used to convert from analogue to digital. To create awareness, sensitization seminars were conducted. Collections to-date include: approximately 3,000 sound recordings, 545 video recordings, and 286 photographs, and 1015 items documented. The pace of digitization is slow due to scarcity of playback equipment, copyright issues, and inadequate technical skills. It is envisaged that digitization will improve preservation and access to the musical cultural heritage. However, adequate equipment, funding, training of staff, enforcement of appropriate laws, and provision of improved facilities need to be put in place for studying music in its various formats

ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTATIONS

Second International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives, abstracts of presentation

Institutional repositories and Higher Education in Uganda. The role of the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL)

Conferencia realizado del 12 al 14 de setiembre en Lima, Peru del 2012 en el marco del 15º Simposio Internacional de Tesis y Disertaciones Electrónicas (ETD 2012). Evento aupiciado por la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) y la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC).Objective: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the progress so far made by Uugandan universities in establishing Institutional Repositories (IRs) Methods: A questionnaire was designed and distributed among the member institutions of the Consortium of Uganda Uuniversity Librarries (CUUL). Data received from the questionnaires was augmented by osite visits, discussions and interviews with the university libraries. Results: Despite numerous benefits associated with IRs, few institutions have established IRs in Uganda due to certain barriers. This paper argues that although these imbalances are manifested, opportunities still exists for the establishment of IRs for national development. Recommendations: The paper emphasizes the need for partnerships with the different stakeholders in the planning and developing institutional repositories. Conclusions: Insitutional repositories should be considered as principal benchmarks of digital scholarship. Originality/value – It is believed that higher institutions of learning and communities would benefit substantially from establishing IRs. However, it can only be possible with well developed infrastructure, increased funding, coordination and advocacy

Promoting genealogy and local history collections using social media in Uganda

Academic libraries collect process and preserve and provide access to unique collections in support of teaching, learning and research. Digitisation of local history collections has been undertaken as a way to preserving fragile materials and promoting access. On the other had social networking tools provide new ways of providing access to various collections to a wider audience. The purpose of the study was to explore how local history collections are promoted using social media in Uganda. An environmental scan of cultural heritage institutions in Uganda with a social media initiative was conducted. A case study of History In Progress Uganda project is reported in the paper. The project is chosen based on the level of activity and ability to provide different approaches and practices in using social media platforms. Findings revealed varying levels of activity. Nevertheless, there still exist challenges of promoting access to local history collections. The paper offers insights into the nature and scope of activity in promoting local history collections in Uganda